


We'll Be Good

by Bjorgman



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-05
Updated: 2014-10-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 21:19:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2083500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bjorgman/pseuds/Bjorgman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beth needs a date for a wedding. Daryl Dixon can't seem to say no.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Almost all of the Green family was asleep. The sun was barely coming up, the sky a tinged pink, and only the sound of Hershel's snoring and the roosters crowing could be heard. Beth sat on the wrap around porch, her knees tucked up to her chin, biting her nails and looking at the wedding invitation in her hand.   
Since she had moved back to her family's farm 2 months ago, crying and explaining to her parents that she would need to stay with them for a while, she hadn't really had time to think about what attending this wedding would mean. When she had first received this invitation, she thought she would burst with happiness when she saw her and Zack's names together at the top, being invited as a couple, to the wedding of their friends Sasha and Bob. She just felt a pang of sadness when she thought about it now. She had thought that maybe, one day, it would be her and Zack inviting Sasha and Bob to their wedding. But that was before. Before he had come home smelling of someone else's perfume. Before he was working late every night. Before Beth had heard him telling the girl on the phone that he would be coming to see her later but he had to go out for Beth's birthday first and he couldn't not go or he would be out of an apartment. Before Beth had caught him, when she had gone to surprise him at lunch, fucking his secretary over his desk. Now she just looked at the invitation and tried to think of a way out of this. Sasha was one of her best friends, she couldn't very well not go to her wedding. But Sasha had called her last night to tell her that Zack had told them that he would still be attending the wedding and that he would be bringing his secretary as a plus one. Sasha said that she had tried to explain to him that he couldn't bring the secretary (Beth often wondered how much work that woman could have actually done as a secretary when it was evident she spent a lot of times fucking other people's boyfriends) because of seating arrangements but Zack had said that she could just have Beth's place. Which is why Sasha called her last night, afraid that Beth wasn't going to be attending the wedding. Beth felt an anger come over her that she had never felt before. Zack had used her, lied to her, cheated on her and now he wanted to replace her with some bimbo of a secretary, Andrea her brain sneered, and take this Andrea to Beth's best friend's wedding. I don't fucking think so, Beth thought. He had probably already moved Andrea into their apartment, after Beth had decided she couldn't stand to be in Atlanta when he was still there. And that was why, without even thinking about the words before they came out of her mouth, Beth had told Sasha that of course she would still be coming and, actually, she was bringing a date too. Sasha had gotten very excited, asking all sorts of questions about Beth's new guy, questions that Beth carefully avoided since the guy was actually imaginary, before telling Beth that she was sure she could move some people around and call the caterers about the extra guests. So now, on top of trying to mend her broken, betrayed heart, Beth had to find herself a date to take to a wedding in 2 weeks time...

~O~

Even though Hershel and Annette Greene were normally up early to see to things on the farm, but this morning they were surprised to wake to find Beth sitting on the front porch, rocking in the chair and sipping sweet tea. Hershel and Annette exchanged a sad glance before getting on with their tasks for the day. When they had finished and come back inside the house, Beth had gone up to her room and was lying on her stomach on her bed, writing frantically in her diary. Hershel stood in the doorway of his youngest daughter's room and knocked lightly on the open door. Beth turned her head towards him and smiled as he entered and sat on the edge of her bed next to Beth. She shifted on the bed so that she was sitting up facing her father, closing the diary as she did so. Hershel took Beth's hand in both of his and glanced down at the now closed book and the invitation resting next to it.   
“Bethy, I need to go pick Maggie and Glenn up from town, do you want to come with me?” Hershel asked his daughter.  
“No thank you, Daddy.” Beth shook her head, a little confused. “Why aren't they driving straight here?”  
“The car broke down on the way back from the airport and they had to call a tow truck to take it to the garage in town. I'm gonna go and get them and someone from the garage is gonna drop the car back here when it's finished.”  
Beth nodded that she understood and her father left to pick up his eldest daughter and her husband.   
Beth spent the time while her father was gone, helping her mother prepare for tea. Annette was happy to have her daughter back home, although it wasn't under the circumstances that she had hoped for. She felt guilty that her and her husband had always liked Zack and thought that maybe he and Beth would one day get married and decide to move to Senoia to start a family. Annette had been sad to see her daughter go when she had decided to stay in Atlanta when she finished college but Beth had wanted to stay with Zack and her other friends from college who lived in Atlanta. Although, they still saw Beth, they didn't see as much of her as they would like. Annette heard the sound of her husband truck pulling up outside and saw Beth's face light up. They grinned at each other and stepped out to the porch to see Maggie running up the steps. She grabbed her sister in a tight hug, Glenn was hanging back a bit but looked equally as pleased to see his sister-in-law.  
“Bethy! I've missed you so much!” Maggie hugged her younger sister tighter and Beth laughed. “If I'd have known that your shithead – Sorry, Daddy! - boyfriend was gunna run off with his secretary then I definitely wouldn't have gone on a 3 month trip around Europe!”  
“Hey, how were you supposed to know?” Beth asked laughing, even though thinking about Zack and Andrea still made her heart hurt, “Even I didn't know!”  
Maggie pulled back from her sister long enough to let Glenn hug her hello before taking hold of Beth again and steering her in the house.  
“Glenn, honey, can you grab the bags, me and Beth have some sisterly bonding to do!” Maggie called over her shoulder while dragging Beth up the stairs.  
Once Beth had explained exactly what had happened with Zack – minus the tears this time, she had promised herself she wouldn't cry over him anymore – she started to tell her sister about the conversation with Sasha about her “new guy”. Maggie's eyes lit up as she told Beth that she knew loads of guys, Glenn's friends, that she could set Beth up with for the wedding. But after consulting with Glenn, most of the guys that Maggie had in mind actually already had girlfriends. One of them, it turned out, had a wife, causing Maggie to bitch about how her and Glenn hadn't been invited to the wedding.   
“What about Carl?” Glenn asked.  
Carl had been Beth's friend since high school and had always been there when Beth needed him to be. He and Zack had never really got on much and Zack had always said that Carl had a crush on Beth, which Beth knew was completely ridiculous. Carl had actually been the first person she had though of asking and, had he been single, she would have begged him to pretend to be her date.  
“Nope, he and Lizzie just got engaged!” Beth huffed, “Plain selfish, is what that is.”   
Maggie and Glenn laughed at this and the trio began their planning again.  
The sound of Maggie and Glenn's car outside made the three get up and look out of Beth's bedroom window. The guys from the garage had obviously patched up the Rhee's car in record timing. Beth watched as someone got out of the driver's side, an old man with a fishing hat and overalls on.  
“I've got it! Ask him!” Maggie gasped, obviously proud of herself.  
“Dale?!” Beth sputtered, “He's old enough to be my granddaddy!”  
“Not him!” Maggie laughed and shook her head, “Him!”  
Beth looked to wear her sister was pointing. She hadn't even noticed anyone getting out of the passenger side of the car. His hair was long and hanging in his face but Beth could see the muscles in his arms bunch perfectly as he closed the door to the car, thanks the sleeveless shirt. She only knew one guy who wore shirts like that.  
“Is that-” Beth began.  
“Yep.” Maggie looked at her sister with a smug grin, “Daryl Dixon. There's ya new date.”


	2. Chapter 2

Beth stared out of the window at Daryl Dixon. She hadn't seen him since high school and he was much more handsome than she remembered. He had his trademark scowl on his face as he turned to look back up the drive way as T-Dog pulled up in the truck from the garage, obviously to take Daryl and Dale back to the mechanic shop. She turned to look at Maggie who was still grinning.  
“You're joking, right?” Beth asked her sister.  
“No way,” Maggie shook her head, “You and Daryl are friends, I'm sure he would take you.”  
“We were friends,” Beth corrected, “I haven't spoken to him in forever. Since his mom died...”  
“I know, but you guys were practically inseparable as kids. Friendship like that doesn't go away.”  
Beth didn't answer her sister, she turned to look out the window again instead. Maggie and Glenn made their way downstairs and Beth trailed along behind. Dale was in the kitchen talking to her father. Maggie made her way over to the two older men, thanking Dale for fixing their car so quickly. Beth smiled at Dale as she made her way on to the porch. Daryl was walking backwards and forwards, smoking his cigarette. He glanced up when he saw Beth and nodded his hello.  
“Well...” Beth began, “Daryl Dixon. Haven't seen you for a while.”  
“I could say the same 'bout you, Hotshot.” Daryl smirked at her as she walked over to him and he stopped pacing. Beth stood next to Daryl and smiled up at him. “How've you bin, Greene?”  
“Not bad,” she told him, “I'm living back here now.” She gestured to the farm house behind them. “Things in Atlanta didn't... work out.”  
“Heard a rumour that you were back. Figured it weren't true 'cause I ain't seen ya.” He shrugged. “But here ya are.”  
“Yep, here I am.” Beth moved to where Daryl was now, leaning against the porch railing on his elbows, looking out over the fields. “So you work for Dale now, huh?”  
“Mmhm. Merle's in jail, again, so figured I may as well get my shit together while he ain't here.”  
“Again?” Beth looked at Daryl, “How long this time?”  
“He'll be out in a couple'a months. Fucker got caught supplying.” Daryl shook his head.  
Dale walked back out of the house and looked over to Beth and Daryl. The older man smiled at the pair as he walked over to them.  
“You ready to head off, Daryl?” Dale asked.  
Daryl grunted in response and pushed himself off from the railing and followed Dale to the truck where T-Dog was waiting for them.  
“See ya around, Greene.” Daryl called before hopping into the bed of the truck.  
“Yeah,” Beth smiled, “See ya around, Dixon.”

x

Over the next couple of days, Maggie kept ringing Beth and asking about Daryl Dixon. She wanted to know if Beth had asked him to be her date yet or if she had spoken to him since the other day at the house. Beth had purposely been trying to avoid thinking about Daryl but it wasn't working. She couldn't stop thinking about how attractive he was now. Sure, she had always know he was attractive but now he was just... wow. She found herself thinking back to the times when they were younger, how he would run to her farm, through the woods, from the small cabin he shared with his parents and his brother. Beth never asked where Daryl got the cuts and bruises from when he showed up at her house with fear in his eyes and tears dry on his cheeks, but she knew that they were from his father. She also knew that things were worse when Merle wasn't about. The two of them would hide out in the barn and sometimes Daryl would sleep in the hayloft over night, Beth sneaking food out to him. It made her sad that his parents never once seemed to care enough to come looking for their son. Hershel and Annette pretended that they didn't know that Daryl was in the barn, they knew about his father and how he treated his sons, and were quite happy for him to stay in the barn, if that meant he was safe. They would invite him round for dinner every so often and when he accepted, he ate like he hadn't eaten in months. The night the cabin had caught fire with his mother inside, when Daryl was 14 and Beth 13, he had cried in Beth's arms in the hayloft. Something changed in him that night. Daryl stopped coming to the farm after that and even though Beth tried to talk to him at school, Daryl kept his distance from her, becoming known as the school bad boy, before dropping out of school completely. Beth became more popular as Daryl became more of a social recluse and he occasionally had run-ins with some of Beth's friends. She remembered him and Jimmy, her boyfriend at the time, having a fist fight in the school yard once and how Daryl had sneered at Jimmy about watching his back, after the fight had been broken up. Through all of this, Beth had never told anyone what she knew about Daryl's childhood. It somehow still stayed a secret between them. After he dropped out of high school, Daryl disappeared. Some people said that he was in jail, others said he had been killed by the mob. Beth had bumped in to Merle one day and he had told her that Daryl had gone to Atlanta to get away from their father. While Beth was at college in Atlanta, she had always hoped that she would bump in to Daryl there, although she never did. And then she had met Zack and thoughts of Daryl Dixon were pushed to the back of her mind, not gone completely, but not enough to do anything about it. Beth figured he must have moved back to Senoia after the death of his father, her daddy had told her that Will Dixon drank himself in to an early grave. Now here she was, thinking about Daryl Dixon again, just like she always used to. He was different now, still guarded but more mature. Beth wondered if the death of his father had helped him to overcome some of his demons. Beth's phone vibrated, signalling a text message, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked down at the message, it was Sasha.   
So, you still haven't told me about this new guy! What's his name?!  
Beth stared at the text message for a long while before she finally decided to reply. She answered the text with just 2 words.  
Daryl Dixon.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Beth decided that she would go over to Dale's to try and talk to Daryl. She needed to go in to town anyway to look for a job. Since leaving Atlanta, Beth had yet to find work in Senoia. She missed her work in Atlanta, working as an environmentalist lawyer, but there was no call for that here. She got up early to help out on the farm before showering and dressing in black slacks with a white blouse. Beth decided that she would go talk to Daryl first before going job hunting – she knew that the latter would be much less nerve-wracking than the former. Beth hopped in her car and drove the 20 minutes to the town. She hoped that Daryl would be there when she got there.  
She had been remembering a lot of times that her and Daryl had spent together. Part of her wished that they had always stayed friends. She was sure that Zack wouldn't have bothered messing her around if he knew she was friends with someone like Daryl, who could be mean and scary. Beth remembered her first kiss had been with Daryl, although it was more of a sloppy peck on the lips which then prompted an entire hour of them discussing why adults decided to kiss each other so much when it obviously wasn't all that great. She smiled at the memory of her and Daryl, young and naive, at 10 and 11 years old. Beth thought about Merle too. Daryl's older brother had always been kind to Beth and she knew that he loved Daryl, even if he didn't always act like it. Daryl hated Merle for leaving him to fend for himself against their Pa, but Beth knew that he still loved his brother just as fiercely as Merle loved him.   
As Beth was pulling in to town, she saw her friend Amy coming out of a nearby diner. Beth decided that seeing Daryl could hold off for a little bit – stop stalling, her brain said – so she pulled over to talk to Amy. After an impromptu coffee date and catch up with Amy, Beth made her excuses and left to go to the garage. She pulled up outside noticing Daryl's bike as she did so. He was definitely here, no going back now. She got out of the car, smiling at T-Dog, who responded with a small wave. Dale made his way out of the garage to see her.  
“Beth! Lovely to see you! You here about the job? Your daddy said you were still looking...” Dale slipped a friendly arm around her shoulder and steered her in to the office.   
“Job? What job? I actually came to see-” Beth began before Dale interrupted her.  
“The receptionist job. I thought that must be why you were? I told Hershel about it this morning, called him up about an hour or so ago.” Beth realised that she would have already been on her way to town when Dale had rang her father so she let him off for not telling her about it. “I told him it's yours if you want it, no interview. Not quite as fancy as your job in Atlanta, I'll tell you that, but I know that you're capable enough with the computer and answering the phone.”  
Beth grinned, happy that by coming here she had crossed off the other item on her to-do list. She was grateful to Dale.  
“No, he didn't mention it but thanks, Dale. I was actually gonna start job hunting when I'd finished here. I wanted to talk to Daryl if that's OK? If he isn't too busy?” Dale grinned at her and Beth wasn't sure she liked the knowing look in his eyes.  
“Sure, sure.” Dale waved his hand towards the shop floor. “He's due a break now anyway.”  
Beth thanked him again before walking out to the shop floor. After asking T-Dog, she found out that Daryl had, in fact, already gone on his break and she found him leaning against a wall at the side of the building smoking a cigarette. He looked up as she rounded the corner and Beth remembered that Daryl used to go hunting and obviously still had that tracker's instinct. He smirked when he saw walking towards him.  
“Can't stay away from me, huh, Greene?” Beth pursed her lips at him and then straightened her face again, remembering why she wanted to talk to him. “You're looking pretty serious there, Hotshot.”  
“Yeah... I, uh, I need a favour...” Beth trailed off, looking at the ground.  
“A favour? I don't like the sound of that.” Daryl teased. “Don't speak to me for 1000 years and now you want a favour, huh?”  
“Don't exaggerate, Dixon.” Beth smiled at him. “It's nothing... awful. Honest. It's just, well, there's this wedding...” Beth looked up at him expectantly and Daryl seemed to know where she was leading with this.  
“No way, Beth.” Daryl shook his head as he stubbed his cigarette out with his boot. “I ain't being no one's wedding date. I don't do weddings. Hell, I don't do dates.”  
“Please?” Beth pleaded, “It's just that, well, Zack is going with-”  
“Zack?” Daryl interrupted. “He your lawyer guy that fucked off with the secretary?” Beth looked at him, questioningly. “What? You think Maggie hasn't been shouting her mouth around town about this asshole lawyer that cheated on her baby sister? Girl's damn near ready to kill him.”  
Beth chuckled and nodded her head. That sounded about right. Since Maggie and Glenn had got back, she had heard every possible slur against Zack from Maggie. Her sister had always liked Zack and Beth thought that maybe Maggie was trying to make up for the fact now, she felt guilty that she hadn't seen what a dick he was when Beth had first met him. Beth didn't blame Maggie, she didn't even know what a dick he was until she had caught him and Andrea in his office.  
“Yeah, well, he's gonna be there and he's taking Andrea – that's the secretary, by the way – as his date so I kinda told Sasha that I'd be bringing a date and I may have told her that my date's name was Daryl Dixon so I kinda need you to come with me, unless you know any other Daryl Dixons?”  
Beth noticed Daryl frowning when she had mentioned that Zack would be taking Andrea then his face softened. He huffed out a breath.  
“If... If I do this, I ain't dressing up like some pansy ass city slick. And if this Zack guy so much as looks at me wrong, I'ma show him what I think of guys who cheat on Beth Greene. Just like... Nevermind.” Daryl stopped himself and Beth wondered what he was going to say but knew better than to push Daryl. She was surprised about how easy it was to talk to him despite the fact that they hadn't spoken for years.  
“OK, that's fair.” Beth agreed, nodding her head.  
“Whoa, hold up, Greene. I've got one more rule.” Beth frowned looking at him as Daryl smirked. “If I do this, you gotta promise me one thing.” Beth looked at him, her brow furrowed in a question. Daryl's smirk grew wider as he turned to face Beth. “You gotta promise not to fall in love with me.”

x

The next day, Beth got ready for her first day at the garage. Dale told her not to worry too much about dressing up since she would be in the office most of the time anyway and the customer's weren't going to expect some well-dressed lady in there since it was actually Abraham who had been filling in as receptionist in between working on the shop floor. Beth giggled when she thought about the red-haired man answering the phone and felt a bit sorry for the customers on the other end as she could only imagine that Abraham's idea of customer service was pretty much the opposite to Beth's.   
Beth had told Maggie that Daryl had agreed to take her and her sister had started going on about how cute a couple her and Daryl would make. Beth had to try and change the subject to her new job to get her sister to stop talking about it but when Maggie realised that it meant Beth would be seeing Daryl every day, her sister got more excited about the unlikely coupling. Beth thought back to Daryl’s third rule and laughed. She liked that he seemed able to make a joke about things these days, she remembered a time when he was so sullen and miserable, just before he dropped out of high school, when Beth had tried to talk to him at school, he had merely grunted at her before walking away. Beth knew that Daryl was still a little broken, he always would be, but she liked that he seemed a bit more easy going these days. She thought about the wedding on her way to work. She hoped that Zack would stay away from Daryl, she really didn't want him starting a fight at Sasha's wedding. That would be embarrassing. Although, part of her did want the red-neck to punch her ex-boyfriend square in the face.   
Beth's first day went pretty quickly and painlessly. The guys popped in every so often to make sure she was alright or to bring her a cup of coffee. The only one who didn't pop up was Daryl. Beth noticed his absence, although she scolded herself for it. This was just a business deal. Sort of. Not that Daryl was getting anything out of it. She guessed she really owed him. She decided that she would offer him some money or something, she wasn't really sure that he would take her money, he was far too proud for that, but Beth knew that she had to do something to repay him. She really was grateful. Maybe he was the best friend she ever had and she regretted letting him shut her out. She knew that he still needed her even when he hadn't wanted to admit it and she had let him keep her away. Just as it was coming up to her lunch break, the object of her thoughts appeared in the door way of the office. He leaned against the door jam and Beth's heart sped up at the sight of him covered in grease, his hair ruffled with flecks of oil in it where he had obviously run his hands through it. Get it together, Beth, she thought.  
“Wanna go get lunch?” He asked, suddenly very interested in his own hands as he stared at them.  
“What?” Beth looked up at him, unsure if she had heard him right.  
“You wanna go get lunch? You know, food? You kinda need it to survive?” Daryl glanced at her with a small smirk before looking back at his hands.  
“Lunch?” Beth repeated.  
“Yeah, I mean, if I'm gonna be you boyfriend or whatever this thing is then we need to get to know each other, yeah? Stop people suspectin' an' that?”  
“We already know each other, Daryl. I've known you my entire life.” Beth told him, raising one eyebrow.  
“Yeah, but I ain't seen you for, what, 8 years? Got stuff to catch up on, so to speak.”  
Beth nodded, what he was saying made sense. And she was eager to find out what her old best friend had been up to since she had seen him last. She wanted to know about Merle too. She kinda missed him.  
“Yeah, OK.” Beth grabbed her coat and made her way out of the office. As her and Daryl made their way from the garage to the diner, they didn't realise that the other mechanics were watching them go.  
“You think Dixon's got the hots for this chick?” Abraham asked.  
“He'd be blind not to... You seen her?!” T-Dog answered. Abraham rubbed his chin and nodded in agreement.  
“Wanna know what I think?” Dale spoke and the other two men turned to look at him, expectantly. “I think that Daryl Dixon has been in love with Beth Greene his entire life. And any day now, he's gonna realise that.”


	4. Chapter 4

Beth stared across at Daryl as he sat fiddling with his napkin, his eyes boring holes in the table. They had ordered their food and had already run out of small talk. Now that Beth had actually asked Daryl for the favour, she wasn't really sure what to say to him. Up until a few days ago, she hadn't spoken to him for 8 years, and now she wasn't sure what to say. Was she supposed to offer her condolences for the loss of his father? She knew there was no love lost between the two and she wasn't really sure she wanted to bring Will Dixon up right now. She knew that doing that would make Daryl close up on her and that was the last thing she wanted right now. Beth was still trying to think of what to say to him when Daryl looked up and spoke.   
“Rick and 'Chonne had a baby.” He looked at her briefly before averting his eyes back to the table.  
“I know,” she smiled happily, “Carl told me. We stayed in touch after I moved.”  
Daryl nodded. He had obviously wanted this to be a conversation starter and Beth almost wished she had pretended that she didn't know that their friends had had a baby. Although Rick's son Carl was only 2 years younger than Beth, she had babysat him and his sister, Judith, often. Rick found it hard to cope after his wife, Lori, had died giving birth to Judith and Beth liked to help out as much as she could. A few years after Lori's death, Rick had met Michonne and they had hit it off immediately. Michonne and Daryl knew each other from Daryl's time in Atlanta, Beth had learnt from Carl, and since she had been with Rick, the two men had struck up a brotherly bond. Beth knew that the younger version of Daryl would have laughed in her face had she told him that one day he would be best friends with the sheriff.   
A short-haired waitress brought their food over and her eyes lit up in recognition when she noticed Daryl with his head still ducked down, staring at the table.  
“Daryl! You haven't been round lately. How've you been?” The woman asked him, looking concerned.  
“Bin busy,” Daryl told her as he looked up and smiled. Beth looked between the two of them, there was an admiration in both of their eyes that made Beth wonder what the nature of this relationship was. She felt a pang of jealousy then scolded herself for the emotion. “How's Sophia?”  
“She's good. She misses you. Why don't you come round later? I'll fix you some dinner.”  
Daryl nodded his head at the woman and she smiled as she reached down to touch his hand before smiling at Beth and returning to work. Daryl looked at Beth and smirked at the question in her eyes.  
“That's Carol. She's a good woman.” He looked towards where Carol now stood taking an order from an elderly couple, “Sophia's her daughter. Stubborn as shit, that girl. Dixon through and through.” Beth frowned at this then straightened her face almost instantly. A Dixon? Was Carol's daughter also... Daryl's daughter? Daryl looked at her and read the look on her face instantly.  
“Shit, Beth, ya don't think I'd tell ya if I had a kid?” He shook his head, the corner of his mouth turned up. “She's Merle's. I bin lookin' out for 'em since Merle ain't never 'round much to do nothin' for 'em.”  
“Merle's got a daughter?” Beth didn't know why she was surprised. Hell, she was surprised Merle Dixon didn't have a whole bunch of children dotted around the town. She knew what the eldest Dixon was like when it came to women. “How old is she?”  
“Comin' up 9 in a couple'a months. Hopefully Merle'll be outta prison by then, won't miss her birthday.” Daryl frowned and narrowed his eyes in thought. The two of them seemed to remember the food that Carol had brought over and Daryl bit in to his burger as Beth picked at her fries, lapsing into silence until Daryl spoke up again.  
“So, a lawyer, huh?” Daryl spoke with his mouth full and Beth smirked at the fact that Daryl's table manners were one thing that hadn't changed.   
“An environmentalist lawyer,” Beth nodded, “Not much need for that round here. But I don't mind too much, got sick of it a little bit. But don't tell my Daddy. He would hate to think I wasted my time at college to be stuck in a job I ain't keen on.”  
“Better'n being a mechanic.” Daryl told her and she tilted her head at him, trying to convey with her eyes that there was absolutely nothing wrong with being a mechanic. “Dale done good by me, givin' me that job. He knew I wanted to sort myself out. Even gave Merle a try for a while but he showed up to work lit a few too many times.”  
“Sounds like Merle,” Beth smiled slightly.  
“So tell me about this Zack guy...” Daryl looked straight in to her eyes. “I need to beat some ass?”  
Beth laughed as she shook her head.  
“Nah, Daddy already offered to go to Atlanta with his shotgun.” Daryl barked out a laugh at this. “Zack was... I dunno... I thought he was perfect for a while. He loved me and I loved him. He started acting a bit... I suppose, distant? I thought maybe we were just in a rut or something, y'know? So I bought all this...nice stuff, you know, like underwear.” Beth whispered the word and Daryl ducked his head, a blush creeping up his cheeks. “Figured I'd go surprise him at work, took him some lunch too, all doting girlfriend. I got there and, well, Andrea had obviously had the same idea for the use of his desk...” Beth trailed off at the memory. She remembered the two of them had frozen, neither of them moving away from eachother, Zack still inside Andrea as he started apologising to Beth. She hadn't stayed to listen to it, she just turned around, packed her things and high-tailed it back to Senoia.   
“Bastard.” Daryl hissed quietly under his breath. “I, uh, I saw you. In Atlanta.” Daryl looked up at Beth to gauge her reaction. Her eyes were wide. “Yeah, a couple years ago. You were with some guy, I s'pose it must'a bin Zack, looking all dopey eyed and in love at some coffee shop. Figured you wouldn't want me barging in on your little love show.”  
Beth was quiet for a long time as she looked at him. His eyes were darting about, looking everywhere but at her. She felt anger and hurt rise up inside her. She had hoped that she would see Daryl in Atlanta. She had never liked the fact that he had just upped and gone, without so much as a goodbye to her. And then it turns out that he had seen her and he still didn't think he owed to her to talk to her. She glared at him and wet her lips before speaking quietly.  
“You never said goodbye.” Daryl's eyes flicked up to hers, unsure if he had heard her properly. “Before you left... You never said goodbye, Daryl.”  
“Things got bad,” his voice was low as he looked out the window. “With my Pa. Couldn't stay here anymore.”  
“I'm sorry,” Beth reached out and placed her hand over his but he jerked it back out of instinct. “I wasn't a good enough friend. I wasn't there after your mama... I let you shut me out when I shoulda just hugged you until you talked to me about it.” Daryl snorted. “I let you down. And I'm sorry.”  
“Not your fault.” Daryl shrugged.   
They didn't speak again as they finished their food before Daryl paid the bill. They walked back to the garage in silence, walking close, not quite touching but their arms brushing every so often. As they got to the garage, Beth turned towards the office, not wanting to look at Daryl and letting him see the guilt in her eyes. She was just about to walk away when she heard Daryl's voice, gruff and low, behind her.   
“Hey, Beth?” She whipped her head back towards him, one eyebrow raised in question. “You didn't let me down.” He looked at the ground before looking straight into her cerulean eyes and shifting his feet. “You were the best friend I ever had.”   
Before she could respond, Daryl strode away to the shop floor. Beth smiled to herself and couldn't help but think that asking Daryl Dixon to be her wedding date might have been her best idea yet.


	5. Chapter 5

Over the next couple of days, Daryl and Beth took lunch together every day, sometimes at the diner and sometimes just sitting in the office. Beth kept bringing up the fact that they needed to get Daryl a suit (she knew there was no way that he owned one already) but Daryl would shrug it off and change the subject. He knew they didn't have long before the wedding and that they would have to go up to Atlanta a couple of days before the wedding for the rehearsal dinner but he wasn't ready to go in to some tailor shop to get fitted in something with sleeves, for Christ's sake. Daryl also tried to ignore the ribbing he was getting from T-Dog and Abraham, teasing him about his girlfriend, regardless of the fact that Daryl had already told him that she was nothing of the sort, just his friend. He didn't like to tell them that she was his best friend, more fuel for their fire, he thought. When they weren't at work, they were texting eachother, nothing of great importance, just reminiscing about their time spent together in childhood.

Remember that time Nellie bucked me off and you thought she had killed me?

Remember when Maggie broke her arm trying to prove to you and Merle that she could climb that tree?

Remember the rope swing that Shawn made for us down by the stream?

What ever happened to that stupid mutt that you made your Daddy take in?

Beth was happy just talking about their childhood, their shared memories. She knew that Daryl didn't want to talk about anything deeper than that and she was fine with it. Her mind kept wandering back to Daryl's rule about falling in love with him. Part of her thought that she might have broken that rule many years before. She spent her evenings at Maggie and Glenn's watching movies and eating junk food while Maggie moaned at Glenn to stop working as he sifted through the accounts and paperwork of the pizza parlour he owned. Beth loved to sit and watch Maggie and Glenn, they were so easy to be around and their love for eachother was clear in everything they did, even things as simple as a small smile as Maggie placed a cup of coffee in front of her husband.

Maggie and Beth looked on the internet for dresses for Beth to wear to the wedding. Maggie said that Beth would need something classy but enough to make Zach regret running off with Andrea. She didn't add that her sister also needed to look good for a certain Dixon, as she knew that Beth would deny wanting to look beautiful for him. They decided that they would go shopping for Beth's dress on her next day off, later in the afternoon, after Beth had taken Daryl to look for his suit. Maggie and Beth laughed at the thought of Daryl standing uncomfortably in a tailor's shop, being measured for a suit. 

Daryl and Beth had the same day off and she had carefully asked if he had any plans for his day off. When she had found out that he hadn't she had asked him if he wanted to hang out, knowing that if she told him where they would really be going, he would make up some imaginary plans to avoid going. Beth knew that if she wanted to get Daryl Dixon into a suit, he would have to know nothing about it.

X

Beth pulled up to Daryl's apartment at 8.30am. She had told him that they would go out for breakfast, although Beth guessed that Daryl had probably been up for, at least, a couple of hours by this point. He always was an early riser. She had dressed casually in jeans and a tank top but, for reasons she didn't like to admit to herself, she had taken extra care with her appearance this morning, taking much longer combing her hair into a tidy ponytail, instead of just chucking it up like she normally did. Beth's cowboys boots clicked on the pavement as she stalked towards Daryl's door. As she neared the apartment, she could hear two voices inside and frowned as she knocked the door. There was a curse from the other side of the door before she heard footsteps nearing to open the door for her. She looked up expecting to see Daryl and found herself staring in to the face of Merle Dixon.  
“Well, well, well, if it ain't lil' Beth Greene,” Merle opened his arms and Beth stepped in to them, grinning. “How've you bin, sweet thing?”  
“Good,” Beth said, muffled by her face pressing into the older Dixon's shirt, “Daryl said you weren't getting out just yet.”  
“I bin a good boy, Blondie,” Merle told her as he released her and stepped back inside with Beth following him, “Lemme out day before last but I bin with Carol and Sophia until now. Whatchu doing here with my baby brother, anyhow? Figured you guys weren't friends no more.”  
“He's doing me a big favour,” Beth told Merle.  
Merle raised an eyebrow so Beth told him all about Zach and Andrea and how they would be at Sasha's wedding. She told him how she kinda already told Sasha that she was taking Daryl so he didn't really have a choice but to go with her. When she had finished Merle looked between her and Daryl, eyebrows raised, before he finally settled his gaze on Daryl.  
“Damn, baby brother, you gon' have to teach another guy what happens when you cheat on our Beth? Sons 'a bitches never learn.” Merle shook his head and Beth looked between the brothers, confused.  
“Another guy? What you talking about Merle?” Beth frowned as she looked at Merle then to Daryl who was shuffling awkwardly in the kitchen, looking at the floor and rubbing his the back of his neck.  
“Don't pay no mind t'Merle, y'know he's always bin full a' shit.” Daryl told her, glaring at his brother before looking back at the floor. Merle looked between Beth and Daryl, an incredulous look on his face.  
“You mean you ain't never told her, baby brother?” Daryl looked pleadingly at Merle and shook his head, willing his brother not to carry on with this conversation.  
“Tell me what?” Beth asked, intrigued, as she looked from Merle to Daryl and back again. “Tell me, Merle.”  
“Ah, shit. Sorry, bro, but look at them big blue eyes. Can't say no to them damn things, can I?” Daryl grunted, and shuffled out of the room to his bedroom, obviously deciding he didn't want to be around for whatever Merle was gonna tell Beth. “You 'member that boy you had? Weedy thing? Jonny or Jake? Something like that?”  
“Jimmy?” Beth asked.  
“Yeah, that's him,” Merle nodded and rubbed his chin, “Daryl caught the bastard doing it with that cheerleader gal, you know the one? Real filthy thing, probably slept with every guy in the state of Georgia?” Beth nodded, mouth agape, and Merle continued. “Well, yeah, so Daryl seen 'um and pulled your guy offa her, told him he was 'sposed to be with you not fucking other girl's under the bleachers in the field. Told 'im to stay away from ya if he couldn't treat ya right. But he didn't, did he? Kept on going with ya, even after baby brother told him not ta. So Daryl hit him. You 'member that?” Beth nodded. “Beat the shit outta him too, didn't he?” Merle chuckled as Beth nodded again. “Standing up for ya virtue, even though you wouldn't say a damn word to him. Boy's a soft touch when it comes to you, Blondie.” Merle finished and took a swig from his cup, deciding that was all he had to say on it. Beth leaned forward and kissed Merle on the cheek.   
“Thanks for telling me, Merle. Always knew Jimmy was no good. Good job I finished him before I left for Atlanta, huh?” Merle nodded and Beth left the room to follow Daryl. She knocked tentatively on Daryl's bedroom door and opened it after had grunted at her to come in. He was pacing back and forth at the foot of his bed, running his hands through his hair. He stopped and looked up at her as she entered then carried on with his pacing. He had obviously never wanted Beth to know what he had done for her and was embarrassed by her finding out now. Beth walked over to him and he turned away from her but she caught him around the waist, hugging him from behind, her head rested on his back. He placed his large hand on top of one of hers.   
“You're the best friend I ever had, too.” She told him, muffled by his shirt. Beth felt him relax, the tenseness easing out of his body. She felt him turn towards her, still in the circle of her arms.  
“Yeah, reckon I am, ain't I?” He teased, a smirk on his face. “Now, we gonna go get me a suit or we standing around here bein' mushy all day?”  
Beth looked at him, surprised, and dropped her arms from around him. “How did you know-”  
“Oh, come on, Greene. Ain't I the one taught ya how to bluff people. Can read ya like a damn book.” He snorted, as he walked out of the room. Beth stared after him for a second before laughing to herself and following him out. This was going to be a good day.


	6. Chapter 6

“Daryl, come on!”  
“No way, ain't comin' out there so you can laugh at me.”  
Beth sighed and looked down at her phone again, she didn't have a lot of time before she had to meet Maggie so they could go shopping for her dress. Daryl had been arguing with her, through a curtain, in the dressing room of the suit store they were in, for ten minutes.  
“I'm not gonna laugh. You can't stay in there all day.”  
“Can too.”   
“Daryl,” Beth smiled, “you sound like a child. Just come out, lemme see, if it's no good we'll just try another one.”  
Beth heard Daryl huff out a breath and thought she heard him muttering something that sounded like 'look stupid as shit' but she wasn't entirely sure. The curtain twitched and Daryl stuck his head out, eyes flicking around to make sure no one else other than Beth was in the dressing room. When he finally opened the curtain and stepped out in to the dressing room, Beth's mouth dropped open. She had finally stopped trying to deny the fact that Daryl was attractive, that she was attracted to him, but he thought that her thoughts might have something to do with the fact that his arms were always on show, strong and muscular arms, at that. She didn't think that she would find the youngest Dixon even more attractive in a suit with a bow tie. Beth's phone slipped out of her hands as she stared at the sight in front of her: Daryl was wearing a grey suit with a grey waistcoat underneath and a blue shirt underneath that, his bow tie was askew and had been tied badly but Beth thought it made him look... endearing. He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, pulling at the collar of his shirt. Beth couldn't help but smile slightly as she thought of how many of the girls at the wedding would wish Daryl was there with them, instead of her.  
“Said you wouldn't laugh.” Daryl grumbled, snapping Beth out of her thoughts.  
“I wasn't laughing, Daryl, I was smiling.” Beth told him, her smile widening.  
“Looks to me like you're trying to stop yourself from laughing.” He narrowed his eyes at her and began tugging at the collar again.  
“No, I'm smiling because you look gor... Uh... You look lovely. You're perfect. I mean, it's perfect. The suit.” Beth cursed inwardly. Get it together, Beth!  
“Perfect, huh?” Daryl tilted his head to the side as his eyes searched Beth's before he straightened out again, looking at the floor. “So I'm gonna have to wear this thing again?”  
“Yep.” Beth breathed out, glad that Daryl hadn't made a big deal of her stammering. “But you'll probably need to let me do your bow tie up.”  
Daryl looked down at the bow tie and tried to tug it straight, only causing it to come undone altogether. Beth's phone beeped and she reached down to pick it up from the floor.  
“Email from the hotel.” She said waving her phone at Daryl. “Room is all booked.”  
“No turning back now, huh?” Daryl shrugged his shoulders. “Wait... Room? Just one?”  
“Yeah,” Beth began awkwardly, “I figured if we're supposed to be, y'know, together, then people would think it a bit weird if we had separate rooms.”  
Daryl's eyes widened. He was going to be sharing a room with Beth. The suit suddenly felt too tight on him and he felt a blush creeping up his neck. He felt like this was gonna turn out to be some kind of joke. If he had ever told anyone about his damn school boy fantasies then he would almost believe that Merle was setting him up. Daryl cleared his throat and tried to look as nonchalant as possible.  
“Yeah, I 'spose. Gonna get outta this damn suit now.” Daryl quickly turned back into the cubicle, drawing the curtain closed behind him. Beth frowned after him. She knew that Daryl might be a bit uncomfortable about them sharing a room, but it didn't necessarily mean they had to share a bed. She was sure he'd be fine once they got to the hotel and saw that the room actually had a pull out bed as well as the double bed. Beth looked at her phone and saw that she had to meet Maggie in 5 minutes. She called to Daryl and told him that she'd have to go and he told her that she should just go on and he'd get Merle to pick him up. Daryl waited until he heard the bell on the door chime, signalling Beth's exit before he sunk down on the bench in the cubicle with his head in his hands. He had a feeling that this weekend was not going to go well.

X

“So how's it going with Daryl?” Maggie asked, pretending to be interested in one of the dresses on the rack in front of her, but Beth could see she was looking at her out of the corner of her eye.  
“Fine,” Beth told her, eyeing her sister suspiciously, “Why?”  
“No reason. Jus' wondered if you've confessed your undying love for him yet, is all.”  
“Maggie!” Beth shrieked.  
“What? Everyone with eyes can see that you've loved that boy from the get go. Ain't no one ever been able to get you in a flutter the way Daryl Dixon does.”  
“Hang on...” Beth thought back to the day at the farm, when both Daryl and Dale had brought Maggie and Glenn's car back when it only really needed one of them. “Did you... Did you do this on purpose?!”  
“No! I mean, well, I didn't even know about the wedding until I saw you, did I? And I might have suggested that Daryl come and drop the car back, 'cause I thought Daddy might like to see him...”  
“And because you knew I was home... Maggie! You are terrible!” Beth laughed, in spite of herself.  
“Well, I knew you two would dance around each other for the rest of your lives if I hadn't have done anything. It was just a happy coincidence that you needed a date. Just... I know this was all because of Zack but it's not now, is it? You kinda want to go with Daryl, don't you?”  
“It was never really about Zack in the first place. I mean, sure I didn't wanna go alone while he was there with her but I didn't want to take a date to make Zack jealous. I don't want him back, Maggie.”  
“Good, because I think there's a certain someone who would be crushed if you did.”  
Beth swatted at her sister, playfully. She turned her attention back to the rack of dresses and found one she liked. It was a splash of colours, bright and strapless. Beth held it up against herself and turned to Maggie who nodded vehemently and sent Beth back to try it on. Once both sister's had stopped gushing about how perfect the dress was and Maggie had stopped making remarks about how Daryl would probably wanna tear it off her the second he saw her in it, they paid for the dress and headed off for lunch.  
When Beth had arrived home, she started packing her suitcase ready for the weekend. She and Daryl were headed up tomorrow so they would be there for a few days before the wedding. Beth and Daryl would be going to the rehearsal dinner but Beth wanted a couple of days in Atlanta before that to catch up with old college friends. Beth made sure that she packed her nicest pair of pyjamas and even her nicest underwear and tried to tell herself that she did that in case anyone came to the door of their hotel room and not because she was sharing a room with a certain redneck who happened to look mighty good in a suit.


	7. Chapter 7

Beth woke up to the sound of stones hitting her window. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up and looked sleepily around her room. Her clock flashed 1am. She dragged herself out of her bed and tugged the curtain aside to look out of the window. She looked down to see Daryl throw another stone up to hit the glass and watched as he winced in pain as he threw it. She flung the window open and looked down at him, she thought knew why he was here.  
“How bad is it?” She whispered into the darkness.  
“You're gonna need to get your daddy's bag.” He answered her as he stepped backwards, craning his neck up to see her better and reaching his arm around his side to hold on to his back.  
Beth knew then exactly what had happened. Another lashing with the belt. This was always the worst, the times when she wanted to lock him in her house and never let him go home to Will Dixon. She nodded at him before she turned to make her way down the stairs, grabbing her father's bag from the office and heading in to the kitchen. She swung the porch door open and Daryl shuffled in, walking awkwardly due to the pain in his back. She pulled out a chair for him to sit on and gasped when he turned with his back to her. His shirt was ripped and covered in blood and she heard the sharp intake of breath as he bent to sit down. This wasn't the first time that Beth had had to clean Daryl up after his father had had at him with the belt. It saddened her to think that this was not a first for the 12 and 13 year olds sitting in her kitchen and felt her eyes fill with tears for her best friend. Daryl was mumbling in front of her and she thought that maybe he was in more pain than he was letting on. Beth slowly lifted his shirt up, careful not to catch the cuts on his back. She choked on a sob as she saw the cuts properly. This was the worst lot yet, 4 deep welts scattered across Daryl's back, 2 crossed over on his shoulder, a small one at the bottom of his back but the worst one was almost the entire length of his back, meeting with the smaller beneath it. She swallowed hard, she knew how Daryl got when she cried for him and she needed him to be cooperative. She cleaned the smaller cuts, before lightly cleaning around the large one. She leaned forward to talk to Daryl.  
“I'm gonna have to get Daddy,” she whispered, “this one needs stitches.”  
Daryl didn't answer her for a second and his body stiffened. He didn't want anyone else to have to see this but he knew that if he didn't let Hershel stitch him up then this would be a lot worse. He nodded and Beth sighed with relief before turning to go up the stairs. She reached her father's room and knocked the door lightly before entering. Her mother and father were both sleeping soundly so Beth walked over to her father's side of the bed and shook him lightly, not wanting to wake her mother up. Hershel opened his eyes and looked at his youngest daughter through sleep-filled eyes. He saw the look of concern and fear on his daughter's face and his eyes widened as he sat up.  
“Bethy, what's wrong?” Hershel whispered, sharply. “Are you OK? Is Maggie alright?”  
“Yes, Daddy, we're fine,” she nodded her head, “It's Daryl... He’s downstairs... Daddy, he needs stitches and I can't... I can't do it.”  
Hershel nodded in understanding as he stood from his bed, grabbing his robe and slipping it on as he followed his daughter downstairs. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the marks on the Dixon boys back. This was the worst he'd seen on the boy yet and anger towards Will Dixon surged through him. Hershel stepped in front of Daryl and looked down at him.  
“How about now?” Hershel asked Daryl. Daryl knew what he meant. Every time he showed up here with the marks of his father's fury on him, Hershel asked Daryl if he wanted to go to the hospital. Daryl always told the old man no, that if he went to the hospital then they'd take him away from Senoia, probably stick him with a foster family. He didn't want to leave Beth, but he didn't tell Hershel that bit. Daryl shook his head and the old man nodded, sadness in his eyes. Hershel started to set the things he would need to stitch Daryl's back and Beth lay a sheet over the kitchen table as Hershel instructed Daryl to lie on his front on the table. Hershel looked at Daryl apologetically as he explained that the stitches would hurt but he didn't have anything to numb the area. Daryl nodded, thinking that the pain of the stitches couldn't be any more painful than the lashings on his back. Hershel moved the needle near to the top of the largest cut and Daryl cursed, then apologised, as Hershel pushed the needle in to his skin. Beth moved nearer him and grasped his hand, squeezing it reassuringly. Daryl smiled weakly at her and squeezed her hand back, letting her know that it was OK. After 4 or 5 stitches, the pain was becoming unbearable for Daryl as he bit down on his lip to stop the curses spilling out of his mouth. He knew he was probably crushing Beth's hand but she didn't show any sign of pain. Her face was laced with concern for her best friend. She reached for the edge of the sheet and wiped it across Daryl's brow, swiping away the sweat beads that were forming there. Daryl didn't think he could stay awake much longer and he felt himself drifting towards unconsciousness. He looked up at Beth and he knew right then that as long as she was around, things would be alright. No matter how bad the beatings from his father were, Beth was always there to help him recover. He looked up at her and thought she looked like a tiny angel, her golden hair lit up in the large kitchen. He squeezed her hand again, just as his vision started going blurry. He needed to let her know how grateful he was to her for always helping him, for never turning him away or being disgusted with the marks he showed up with at all hours of the morning. She gazed down at him, tears slipping down her face and he squeezed her hand again. He knew he was about to pass out and as the darkness surrounded him, he knew one thing was true, even at 13 years old:  
“I'm gonna marry you one day, Beth Greene.”

Beth sat upright in her bed, sweating. The concern she had felt in the dream of her memory was still present and she felt tears pricking her eyes for her friend. She never forgot that night, the pain on Daryl's face. She had been so worried when he had passed out but her father had assured her that it was probably best that Daryl was unconscious while he stitched him up. Beth hadn't thought about that night for a long time and part of her had almost forgotten Daryl's promise before his eyes fluttered shut. She smiled to herself, much like she had when he was uttered it the first time. She remembered her father chuckling at that and saying something about Daryl having good taste. She had never mentioned it to him once he had woken, in her bed, where her father had carried him after he had finished the stitches, and Beth curled up beside him. He never mentioned it again either, so Beth just left it at that. She had only been 12 and knew that she had a crush on Daryl by that point, knew nothing of love or adult relationships. She thought she liked the idea of marrying Daryl at the time and had told Maggie that when her and Daryl wed, it would be at the farm and Will Dixon would not be invited. Maggie had laughed at her sister, planning their wedding at 12 years old. Beth smiled to herself again and hoisted herself out of bed. She slid her feet in to her slippers and headed for the shower. Once she had showered, she made her way downstairs and heard familiar voices in the kitchen. She made her way in to the room and was surprised to see Daryl sitting at the table, shovelling down her mother's bacon and eggs.   
“Mornin' Greene,” he grinned at her. “Thought you weren't never gonna get up.”  
She scrunched her nose up at him as he talked with his mouth full of food then stuck her tongue out at him.  
“I was up late last night packing. Didn't want to forget anything.”  
“Like you could,” Daryl snorted, “Bet you made 3 damn lists.”  
Beth's face flushed. He knew her too well. She had always been organised, making lists upon lists for everything.   
“Shut up,” she grumbled as she sat at the table.   
Beth sat and listened to her mother and father talking with Daryl. It almost felt like old times. She looked down at the kitchen table and was immediately transported back to the dream she had just woken from. Only now, the thought of marrying Daryl Dixon filled her with a happiness she had never felt before. She pushed that thought out of her mind and dug in to the breakfast her mother had just placed in front of her. She smiled as she listened to the easy banter between her mother and Daryl. Annette had always enjoyed poking fun, good-naturedly, at him and he gave as good as he got. Her father chuckled as he listened to the two of them and smiled over at Beth. Once they had finished their breakfasts, Daryl stood from the table.  
“You 'bout ready to go, Greene?”   
Beth nodded and stood to kiss her mother and father. She said her goodbyes to them and followed Daryl out to his truck. Her father had already given Beth's bags to Daryl and he had loaded them up while she was still asleep. Beth and Daryl climbed in to the truck and they waved at her parents as they drove away.  
“So... How we playin' this thing, Hotshot?” Daryl asked, glancing at her.  
“Well, uh, obviously, I'm the love of your life...” She teased playfully, smiling at him, “That's how we're playing it.”  
Beth grinned at him and he smiled slightly and muttered something. Beth didn't hear what he said and Daryl was glad. He almost couldn't believe the words had made their way out of his thoughts and through his lips.  
“Ain't gonna take much pretendin'.”


	8. Chapter 8

Hershel and Annette watched as the truck made it's way up the driveway and left the farm. Annette smiled and leaned against her husband, resting her head on his shoulder. She let out a loud sigh and Hershel looked down at her, chuckling.  
“What're ya thinking?” He asked his wife. She looked up at him and smiled widely, her eyes crinkling at the corners.  
“It's just romantic, ya know? Those two have loved each other their entire lives and now they can finally do something about it.”  
“But... Do you think they will?” Hershel asked, looking back out to where the truck had been, dust settling on the drive. “I mean, they are both as stubborn as mules...”  
Annette laughed lightly and the sound made Hershel smile. She squeezed his arm, lovingly.  
“They've been fighting it for too long. You mark my words, those two will come back from Atlanta closer than they have ever been before.”   
Annette turned to go back in to the house and Hershel moved to sit on the swinging porch chair. He thought back to the first time he had seen Beth sneaking out to the barn with a plate of food, looking around her as if expecting someone to jump out and stop her. Hershel had followed her in to the barn, waiting until she had disappeared up to the hayloft before he concealed himself in the shadows listening to the conversation above him.

“Do you need me to get my Daddy?” He had heard Beth's soft voice, innocent with a hint of fear. Hershel had stiffened, wondering who was up there with her and why she sounded scared.  
“No,” a voice had grunted back, “Can't trust adults as far as you can throw 'em.”  
Hershel recognised the voice of the youngest Dixon boy, Daryl, he thought his name was. He had known Will Dixon back in the day when he still frequented the bars and liquor stores of the town. He knew that the drunk had a mean temper on him and had seen him in bar fights many times. Hell, sometimes he had even been involved in those bar fights.  
“It's cut pretty bad though,” Beth's voice came again, “I think you might need stitches. Daddy can do that. I brought you an ice pack to take down the swelling.”   
Hershel heard rustling, which he assumed was Beth handing over the aforementioned ice pack, before he heard a sharp intake of breath which he took to be the Dixon boy putting the ice pack on his injury.  
“Don't need no stitches, I've had worse. 'Sides, can't tell ya Daddy.” Daryl said sharply. “Can't tell no one. You tell ya Daddy and he'll ring child protection, they'll be here faster'n you can say 'child abuse' and I'll be carted to the nearest foster home and we won't never see each other again. That what ya want?”  
“No,” Beth said quietly, she sniffed and Hershel knew that she was crying for her unlikely friend, “But ya can't go back there. Stay here in the barn. I won't tell Momma and Daddy, I promise. Ya can't go home, Daryl.”  
It was quite for a long time before Hershel heard the boy grunt in agreement.  
“Fine, but just for tonight. Only 'cause I ain't wantin' another beatin' right now.” Hershel heard Beth's sharp intake of breath and her sobbing seemed to get louder. “Shit, sorry, Beth. I ain't mean to upset ya. Don't cry. Ya need to get going, girl. I'll be alright. Can look after myself.”  
Hershel found it strange hearing a curse come from the mouth of an 8 year old, but he figured if the boy was Will Dixon's son and Merle Dixon's brother then it probably wasn't the worst word that had ever come out of his mouth. He had always had an idea of how Will treated his sons but never had any solid proof. Part of Hershel wanted to go round to the Dixon cabin and show Will Dixon exactly what he thought of men who laid their hands on children. He knew that if he did that then Will would call the police, feigning ignorance to Hershel's claims and the Dixon boy really might be at risk of having his secret revealed. He knew that the Dixon boy meant a lot to his daughter, he had seen them playing and talking together down by the stream. He seemed an unlikely friend for his youngest daughter but he made her happy and that was all Hershel wanted for his children. He wasn't about to take that happiness from Beth or from the Dixon boy.  
After that night, Daryl had shown up, at the very least, 2 or 3 times a week, Hershel watched as his daughter ran out the house with a plate full of food and a cold compress and he sighed to himself. He had confided in Annette about what he had seen and heard and explained about not wanting to ring CPS and take Daryl away from the only friend and the only kindness he had ever known, away from Beth. Annette had nodded in her understanding way and hadn't mentioned it to her husband again, but she did start cooking extra portions for dinner from then on, making sure to always plate up the left overs and leave them in the fridge.  
About 6 months after the first time Hershel had seen Beth running out to the barn, he saw her one night disappearing with a plate of Annette's leftovers and a cold compress, Hershel sighed, much as he did every time he saw this, and was about to hoist himself back in to bed when he saw her come back from the barn, running towards the house. Hershel frowned. Beth always stayed in the barn with Daryl until it was getting too late for her to stay there any more. He heard her enter the house and it sounded as if she was making her way towards his office. Hershel trod quietly as he made his way down the stairs towards his daughter. He heard her quietly crying and whispering to herself. He entered the office and saw her rummaging around in drawers.  
“Bethy?” He asked. She stiffened and wiped at her face with her hands before she turned to look at her father.  
“Hi Daddy,” she tried to sound as cheerful as she could, like this was an every day thing, for him to find his youngest daughter, going through his veterinary supplies, “Whatcha doing up?”  
“What does he need?” Hershel asked and was slightly amused at Beth's look of surprise. “I assume you're looking for something to patch up the Dixon boy?” Beth nodded, the look of surprise still etched on her face. “So what does he need?”  
“Stitches,” Beth answered, her voice catching as fresh tears made their way to the surface. “It's his leg...”  
Hershel nodded and reached around his daughter, collecting everything he would need to stitch the boy up. Beth held her hands out waiting for her father to hand over the supplies. Hershel chuckled.  
“Now, I don't mind that boy eatin' my food, I don't mind him sleeping in my barn, I don't mind him keeping my youngest daughter awake half the night to make him feel better, I don't even mind that he don't want anyone to know about how his Daddy treats him.” Beth gasped at this, as she realised the depth of her father's knowledge of the situation.“But I'll be damned if I'm letting that boy be stitched back together by a 7 year old.”  
Beth nodded and walked out of the office, her father following behind, neither of them knowing that that wouldn't be the last time that Daryl Dixon needed to be stitched up by Hershel Greene.

X

Daryl looked across at Beth and smiled. She was snoring lightly, her forehead pressed against the window of her door, her knees curled up to her chest and her arms crossed over her. He knew Atlanta well so, despite her offers of directing him, he knew exactly where he was going. He knew they were drawing near to the hotel so Daryl reluctantly said Beth's name to wake her up. She didn't move, but mumbled in her sleep and shifted slightly. He placed his hand on her shoulder and shook her lightly. Her eyes fluttered open and she turned to look at him with a wide smile, making him glad he had woken her, and he couldn't help but grin back at her. It amazed him that she was still blindingly beautiful when she had just woken up. She looked around her and realised they were getting near to the hotel and sat up straight. If Daryl didn't know any better, he would think she was nervous. Of course she's nervous, you jackass, Daryl's brain scolded him, she's about to go to a wedding where the guy she loves will be with his new bit o' stuff. Daryl frowned to himself, annoyed that he was jealous of this asshat, this Zach, that had got to spend time with Beth in a way that he hadn't, in a way that he wanted to, desperately. Daryl found himself speeding up a little, out of annoyance, as they pulled in to the car park of the hotel and the two silently got their bags out of the car and headed for the hotel lobby. Beth was still smiling inanely, unaware of the inner battle Daryl was having with his own emotions. Once they had checked in, they made their way up to the room, Beth holding the key card tightly. Daryl stood back and let her open the door, hearing her gasp as she stepped in to the room. Daryl rushed forward, craning his head around her to see what had made her stop in her tracks. The room looked pretty normal to him, as far as swanky hotel rooms go. He whipped his head back and forth, trying to find the source for her shock when it hit him. The bed.  
One bed.  
Singular.  
One king-size bed.  
No pull out sofa, no twin beds, no adjoining room. Just the one, king-size bed, perfectly made, waiting for a couple to get in to it. A couple. He and Beth were not a couple. They couldn't share the bed. Shit, he wanted to. But there was no way he was gonna make her uncomfortable. He looked at her and saw the blush creeping up her neck. He was screwed.  
“I'll sleep on the floor.” He mumbled, pushing past her to dump his bags on the floor at the foot of the bed. She looked at him, eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, and shook her head.  
“Don't be a dumbass.” He laughed lightly, he'd always found Beth cursing amusing. “We can both sleep in the bed. Not like we ain't slept together before now.”  
He knew she was right. They had spent a lot of times curled up together in the hayloft and there was the time they had slept in her bed, after her father had stitched his back up. But they were kids then, this was different than that. He didn't want to say it out loud. Didn't want her to know that this was different now because he wanted her now, in a way he hadn't back then. He nodded mutely and made his way to the bathroom. Beth had said that she was meeting up with some college friends later and she wanted him to meet them, he figured he'd better make himself look half decent, he didn't want Beth to regret asking his dumb redneck ass along. He knew he'd have to keep himself in check if he was sharing a bed with her. Keep ya hands to yaself, Dixon, his brain growled at him and he nodded his agreement with it. His brain was right for once. He scoffed as he realised that it wasn't often that happened. He wondered what Merle would say if he was here. His brother had done nothing but rile him up about his weekend with Beth since he had found out about it and, even though Merle loved Beth, he said some pretty crude things about what Daryl should do to her while they were in Atlanta. Daryl pushed thoughts of his brother and his wild ideas out of his head and, once he was happy with his appearance, he made his way back in to the bedroom. What he saw had him freezing in the doorway. Beth was standing there in just her bra and panties, struggling to get a dress on over her head. Even though she looked, and sounded, ridiculous, wriggling around and grunting lightly, Daryl couldn't help his eyes roaming over her milky skin, taking in the swell of her breast, the curve of her hips and down to the apex at the top of her thighs. Daryl shifted uncomfortably, feeling his trousers tighten. He cleared his throat, letting her know he was there. She lifted the dress slightly from her shoulders, arms still in the air and peeked out at him from under it. She smiled warmly at him and her body seemed to relax.  
“Oh, Daryl, please help me! It's just... My friend Tara, the one we're meeting this afternoon, she gave me this dress and I never wear it and I feel like I should because it was a gift from her but it just isn't very me and now I can't even get...” she wriggled again, tugging on the dress, “the damn thing,” more wriggling, Daryl didn't think he could take much more, “on.”  
Before Daryl could even think about what he was doing, he crossed the room and stood behind the half dressed blonde. He reached his hands up above her head and grabbed the bottom of her dress and tugged it downwards. He could almost hear Merle laughing at him, telling him he was pulling the dress the wrong way, he should be taking it off. Daryl pulled the dress down, unconsciously letting his hands brush against her bare skin. Once the dress was over her head and Daryl found that he had no more of her bare skin to brush his fingers against, he felt a tugging on his heart, an ache to feel her again. He reached his hands up and let it drift along the back of her neck, pulling her hair out from where it had tucked in the back of the dress, absently grazing his fingers along the nape of her neck. Beth leaned back into his touch before standing up straight, turning to beam at him. She reached up kissed him on the cheek, then bounded over to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.  
Yeah, Daryl was so screwed.


	9. Chapter 9

Beth had agreed to meet Tara at a café they used to go to when they were at college but she had a text from Tara, just as she left the hotel, telling her to meet her at Duke's instead. Beth knew Duke's, she'd been there a couple of times when she was at college but it wasn't really the sort of place she liked to drink at. She told Daryl they were meeting at the bar and he snorted when she told him which one. Beth narrowed her eyes at him, a smirk on her face. She realised Daryl was obviously familiar with the bar and that didn't surprise him. On the occasions that she had been there, there had always been motorcycles lined up in the parking lot out front, leather clad bikers doing shots and playing pool inside. She had been there a couple of times, late on a Saturday night, after the other local bars had closed, and had sensed the danger of the place almost immediately. The third time she went there, a fight had broken out between two of the bikers, arguing over a girl, and one had smashed a bottle over the others head. Beth and her friends had left quickly after that. They made sure to only go there during the day, hoping it would be a bit safer. While the same sort of crowd gathered there during the day, the numbers were smaller and there always seemed to be less fights. Tara had always loved it there, despite it's rough reputation, and had gotten herself a job behind the bar a couple of weeks after Beth had left Atlanta. Beth had always enjoyed checking out the motorbikes outside Duke's. She never really admitted to anyone why. Just like she never told herself that the reason she first agreed to go on a date with Zach was because of his motorbike, almost an exact replica (albeit shinier and newer) of Daryl's own motorcycle. She didn't dare tell anyone that that bike was the thing that first attracted Beth to Zach, or dare tell anyone why she found it so attractive. Beth and Daryl arrived at Duke's and Daryl held the door open for Beth. She smiled shyly at him and he ducked his head down as he followed her in to the bar. Beth looked around for Tara while Daryl headed over to the bar to get them both a drink. Beth spotted her friend sitting in a booth near the pool table, watching the men shoot pool. Beth made her way over to the table and noticed that Tara had two drinks on the table. She slid in to the seat opposite her friend.   
“Beth!” Tara turned to look at her as she settled herself in to the booth, “You're here! How've you been?”  
Beth and Tara exchanged niceties, quickly catching each other up on the last few months. Nothing had dramatically changed since the last time they had spoken, as Beth and Tara still kept regular contact. Sasha had told Tara all about her bringing a date with her to the wedding.  
“So, where's the guy?” Tara asked, then looked to where Beth pointed at Daryl who was still at the bar, chatting with the bar tender. “Wow. You know, if I was straight...” Tara didn't finish the sentence but wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Beth, causing the blonde to giggle and swat at her playfully across the table. Tara raised her hand to wave at someone over Beth's head. Beth turned and saw Sasha walking towards them, having just come from the toilets. Beth stood from the booth and wrapped her arms around her soon-to-be-married best friend.   
“Sash! I didn't think I would see you before the rehearsal dinner! Thought you'd be too busy!”  
“I'd never be too busy for my best girls!” Sasha told her, returning the hug. “Plus, I wanted to meet this guy of yours before the dinner! Where is he?”  
“It's that hunk of a guy over there.” Tara pointed to Daryl who had just turned from the bar, drinks in hand. “Shit, he's coming over. Be cool.”  
Beth started laughing at her friends and sat back in the booth, Tara and Sasha opposite her. Daryl slid himself in next to Beth and placed their drinks on the table. He leaned over and awkwardly kissed Beth on the cheek and Beth realised that, even these were her best friends, they still had to keep up the rouse that they were a couple. Beth smiled at him and rested her hand on his thigh and gave it a reassuring squeeze. His cheeks flushed as he looked down at her hand before resting his over the top of hers.  
“Daryl, this is Tara and Sasha. Tara, Sasha, this is Daryl.” Daryl cleared his throat as if to speak but instead just nodded his head at them.  
“So you're the famous Daryl Dixon.” Sasha smiled at him, mischievously. “We've been dying to meet you. Not that Beth's told us an awful lot about you... What is it you do?”  
“Mechanic.” Daryl grunted before taking a swig of his beer. Beth squeezed his leg again, as if to make him elaborate but he just looked at her dumbly. Sasha cleared her throat awkwardly before looking to Tara, wide eyed, silently begging her to help her out with the awkwardness.  
“So, uh, how did you guys meet?” Tara asked, her eyes flitting from Beth to Daryl and back again.  
“High school.” Daryl answered, picking at the label on his beer bottle. “Greene was my best bud.” He looked across at Beth and gave her a genuine smile.   
“Oh, you're the best friend from high school!” Sasha squealed causing Beth to widen her eyes at Sasha, telling her to shut up without even moving her lips. Daryl's brow creased in confusion as he looked to Beth before turning back to Sasha and nodding. “I, uh, I mean, yeah, Beth mentioned she had a best friend in high school. Totally the only thing she told me though. Just that she had one. A best friend.”   
Beth groaned and put her hand on her forehead as she remembered that she had told Sasha, drunkenly, about Daryl and how she had always thought they would end up together and how dreamy she had always thought he was. And yes, she had used the word dreamy. She felt Daryl's leg tense under her hand and she realised that he knew Sasha was lying. She looked to him and could see the desperation in his eyes and realised that he thought that Sasha's awkwardness was because Beth had told her about his childhood. Beth looked straight in to his eyes and shook her head, the action barely noticeable to the two girls sitting opposite them. Beth saw Daryl relax and the relief flood in to his eyes as he squeezed the hand that was still resting on his thigh.  
Once the initial awkwardness was over, the girls talked about their days at college, Tara and Sasha telling Daryl embarrassing stories of Beth's antics, both drunk and sober, and Daryl laughed along with them, eyeing Beth from time to time, making sure she knew he would be teasing her about the stories. Daryl excused himself to go to the toilet, unknowingly leaving the three girls to talk about him.  
“Oh my God, Beth, you got it bad!” Sasha exclaimed, while Tara just nodded in agreement.  
“What?” Beth asked, looking to where Daryl had just been sitting, willing him back so she wouldn't have to have this conversation about their relationship.  
“Both of you. The way you look at each other. You're so in love!” Sasha told her. Beth blushed and ducked her head down.  
“Yeah, she's right,” Tara agreed, “Like, especially when he thinks we aren't looking, he just gives you this looks, you know? That guy is head over heels for you!”  
Beth blushed again and looked at her friends.  
“He's pretty neat though, right?” Her friends nodded again then started talking about the rehearsal dinner as they noticed Daryl heading back towards them.  
“You ready to get going, Greene?” He asked, looking at Beth. They said their goodbyes with the promise of seeing Tara and Sasha the day after tomorrow at the rehearsal dinner. 

Later that night, when Beth was in bed, Daryl lying as far away from her as humanly possible, she couldn't help but think that her friends must be wrong. Daryl Dixon wasn't in love with her. Was he?


	10. Chapter 10

Daryl and Beth spent the day before the rehearsal dinner visiting shops in Atlanta. Beth had decided that the dress she had bought for the rehearsal dinner wasn't the one so she had dragged Daryl round a few shops before he had finally had enough and told her he would meet her back at the hotel. She finally found the perfect dress, black and lacy, cut just above the knee. Beth made her way back to the hotel and caught a glimpse of Daryl in the hotel bar as she passed it. She made her way over to him, dumping the shopping bags on the floor near her feet, and plopped down in the chair opposite Daryl. He raised his eyebrows at the bags, an amused look on his face. Beth had told him she was going to get one dress. There were 4 shopping bags on the floor and he could see a fifth one poking out the top of another.   
“What, ya gotta assemble the dress yaself?” Daryl smirked at her, “That why it's in so many bags?”  
Beth frowned at him but her eyes shone with mirth. She shook her head before reaching over to take a sip of his beer.   
“Don't get ya germs on my drink, Greene.” he reached forward and took his beer off her and placed it on the table in front of him. Beth raised an eyebrow at him before she frowned, her face serious.  
“You, uh, you do realise that we, I mean, that me and you we're gonna have to... Y'know. At the wedding.” Daryl looked at her, confusion on his face. “Kiss.” Daryl spluttered on the beer he had just taken a sip of. “Y'know, so people believe that we're a couple. That's what couples do, right?”  
Daryl grunted, looking anywhere but at Beth, his face was bright red, Beth thought it was cute.   
“We could always practice, if you want?” Beth looked at him, expectantly, but he shook his head.  
“Nah, don't think that's a good idea, Beth.” He downed the last of his beer, placing the empty bottle on the table. “I'm gonna head upstairs.” He reached down, picking up Beth's bags for her and looked at her, silently asking if she was going up to their room too. She shook her head.   
“I'm gonna get a drink.” She smiled at him brightly and he nodded leaving Beth to her thoughts.  
She ordered a drink and sat there thinking about Daryl. About how they had shared their first, sloppy kiss. About the things that she had told Sasha about him. Mostly, she thought about the way she had felt sharing a bed with him last night. Daryl had made sure to sleep right on the edge of the bed, so close to the edge that Beth thought he would roll out at the slightest movement but Beth had wished he was closer to her, she wanted to feel his warmth, feel his rough hands on her body. She was silently pleased when she woke up and found that he was behind, their bodies still inches apart, with his arm slung over her waist. She had made sure to roll out of the way before he woke up, knowing that the embarrassment he would display on waking would ruin the moment for her. Beth drank 7 drinks, all the while thinking about Daryl Dixon. She was just leaving the bar and heading up to their room when she heard a familiar voice speaking to the receptionist. She looked over towards the desk and saw Zach and Andrea checking in. Damn. She should have known they'd be staying in the hotel, since it was where Sasha was holding the wedding reception and the rehearsal dinner. She watched the couple from behind the pillar she was standing by. Andrea was draped all over Zach, but Zach looked more interested in the blonde receptionist behind the desk. God, was he bored of Andrea already? Beth made her way up the stairs, hoping the two didn't notice her, hoping even more that their room was nowhere near hers and Daryl's. She raced up the stairs and in to her and Daryl's room. He was sitting on the bed watching TV and raised an eyebrow at her as she slammed the door behind her.   
“Zach and Andrea are here. Just saw them checking in. Didn't want them to see me.” Beth panted, she didn't think she had ever run as fast as she just had. Daryl just nodded, a dark look on his face. Beth moved over to sit next to him on the bed after she had caught her breath. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. She thought that maybe the drinks had made her brave because she definitely wasn't planning on saying what she said next.  
“I think we should kiss.”  
“Is that right?” Daryl looked at her, his face a mix of surprise and amusement.  
“Mhm.” Beth nodded. “It needs to believable, right?”  
Daryl looked at her before leaning in towards her. Beth closed her eyes and leaned towards Daryl, puckering her lips. She felt Daryl's lips touch hers, barely there for a second before she felt him pull away.  
“I, uh,” Daryl cleared his throat, “Think that's enough practising for today, Beth.”  
“That's not how couples kiss!”  
“Sure it is.” Daryl stood from the bed and headed towards the bathroom. “I'm gonna take a shower. Sleep it off, Greene, got a busy day tomorrow.”  
Daryl's shower took longer than normal, mostly because he was cursing himself out for being so damn stupid. Kissing Beth Greene was one thing, kissing her in the bed they were forced to share was another. Daryl argued with himself for a long time, before he made the decision to tell Beth that he wouldn't be going to the wedding with her. There was no way he could stand by while she mooned over that Zach asshole. When Daryl left the bathroom, he sat in the bed next to Beth, who was lying on top of the covers with her eyes closed. Daryl could tell she wasn't asleep but she was close.  
“Beth,” he whispered. “Beth!” Her eyes fluttered open and a small smile graced her face.  
“Daryl,” she whispered back, “Thank you so much for doing this for me. You're the best person I know.”   
Daryl sighed and Beth snuggled deeper in to the pillow. Daryl found that, despite the fact that he didn't want to watch Beth make sad puppy eyes at Zach, he couldn't deny Beth Greene anything. Even if it was going to kill him.  
X  
Beth sighed as she slumped back in the chair. The rehearsal dinner had been uneventful and Beth had teared up a bit at the speeches. Everything had gone to plan and Beth smiled as she watched Sasha and Bob spin around the dancefloor. She glanced across to Daryl who was standing at the bar, talking to Tara. Beth's smile grew as she remembered the look on Daryl's face when he had seen her in her dress earlier. His jaw had dropped and she had known then that whatever was between them was definitely more than the friendship that had been there before. At least, she hoped that's what it meant. Daryl swaggered back over to her, drinks in hand, and she took in his tie, no longer tied neatly but undone and draped around his neck. His shirt was untucked and he had undone a couple of buttons. Beth knew that Daryl was uncomfortable in the shirt and held back a giggle when she thought of how he would feel tomorrow wearing his full suit. Daryl sat down beside her and the two began talking about the rehearsal dinner and sipping at their drinks. Daryl kept glancing away while he was talking to her and the next time he did it Beth followed his gaze to see Zach and Andrea sitting at the bar. They hadn't been at the rehearsal dinner but had obviously decided to join in with the party in the bar. Daryl saw her looking towards the two.  
“That's him, ain't it?” Daryl sounded angry. Beth nodded. “Keeps lookin' over here. Don't look none too happy 'bout me bein' here with ya.”  
Beth nodded again and looked away from Zach.  
“Can we talk about something else?” Daryl nodded and told her the story that Tara had been telling him at the bar. Unsurprisingly, it was another embarrassing story about Beth, and she laughed as he teased her about it. Daryl kept glancing to Zach, who couldn't seem to take his eyes off Beth and Daryl, jealousy written all over his face. Daryl had had enough. This jerk thought he could screw Beth Greene around then sit on the other side throwing daggers at Daryl. Before he could even think about what he was doing, Daryl cast another glance at Zach, smirked, then grabbed Beth by the back of the neck, pulling her towards him. His lips met hers and he felt her stiffen in surprise before she melted in to him. H flicked his tongue out and ran it along her bottom lip. She opened her mouth, and met his tongue with her own, kissing him back passionately. Daryl's hand moved to her hair and he fisted his hand in the blonde curls at the back of her head. She reached her hands up, resting one on his chest and clasping the back of his neck with the other, pulling him impossibly closer. Daryl slanted his head to deepen the kiss and Beth moaned in to his mouth. He pulled back slightly and placed light kisses on her lips before pulling back completely to look her in the eyes. She had a small smile on her face and her pupils were wide. Daryl gave her a half smile and she lifted her hand to her mouth, a far away look now in her eyes.  
“Mhm,” she mumbled, “That's how couples kiss.”


	11. Chapter 11

Beth smiled as she watched Daryl frowning at his bow tie as he picked up to hang around his neck. He was a sight – shirt collar up, buttons done up haphazardly (although Beth thought that he hadn't even noticed that his buttons weren't even in the right holes), hair sticking out all over the place on top of his head. She had thought that things would be awkward between them after the kiss they shared last night. He had rested his hand on her thigh when they had been sitting at the table and she had even managed to convince him to dance with her. He placed soft kisses on her cheek or her wrist, even on the top of her head when she had tiredly rested her head against his shoulder. He kept up the pretence of them being a real couple all night and Beth wished it would be that way forever, wished that his kisses and light touches were real. She had decided that once they got back to her room, she would show Daryl exactly how much she wanted it, wanted his touches, wanted him, but as soon as they got back to the room, he had mumbled something about needing a shower and was in the bathroom behind the locked door before she could even blink. She had fallen asleep before he came back out. Beth decided that now wasn't really the time to launch herself at Daryl and he had barely looked at her all morning, he had cast a few shy glances in her direction but as soon as she looked up, he would quickly avert his eyes to the ground, the wall, the door, anything other than Beth's eyes. She finished applying the mascara and cast another glance in the mirror, watching Daryl unbutton his shirt behind her, he'd obviously realised his mistake now and was trying to rectify it before attempting to fasten his bow tie. Beth stood from the stool and walked lightly to Daryl, he had finished unbuttoning his shirt and Beth grabbed each side of it in her hands, pushing his larger hands away. She fastened his buttons, even though her head was screaming at her to push the shirt off his shoulders and kiss all over his bare skin. She knew the scars that littered his torso and even though the physical marks had healed long ago, Beth found herself wanting to soothe them with her lips, kissing all memories of what had caused them away from him.  
Daryl watched her buttoning up his shirt and couldn’t help but let out a puff of amusement at the fact that all they seemed to have done this weekend was help each other put clothes on, even though that was the opposite of what he wanted to do. He thought that maybe he should have apologised for kissing her last night but he found himself not wanting to. He couldn't stop himself from kissing her chastely, touching her, as if she really was his. He knew she had wanted them to act like a couple so he figured that he could get away with it outside of the hotel room without her even batting an eyelid. It was on the way back to the room that he realised that he didn't want to stop touching her, kissing her, watching her, and that was why he stormed straight in to the shower and stayed in there until he was sure she must have fallen asleep. He cursed himself, mentally. After the wedding, he would only have one more night with her in the hotel. One more night to avoid her. One more night to touch her. He wasn't sure which yet. He knew which one he wanted to do but that didn't necessarily mean it was the thing he should do. Daryl hadn't realised that Beth had finished buttoning his shirt and had even fastened his bow tie, until she reached up to straighten his collar. He closed his eyes as her soft fingers brushed against his skin and then snapped them open again when he felt her fingers running through his hair. It dawned on him that she was trying to tame the mop on top of his head. He ducked out of her hands with a curse and made his way to the mirror to flatten his hair. He wanted to be out of the room as soon as possible, that way he could touch Beth Greene as much as he wanted and there was nothing anyone could do about it.  
X  
Daryl looked up at the building in front of him and checked the address on the piece of paper in his hand. He took a deep breath before moving forwards, making his way towards the large double doors. He pushed one open and made his way up the stairs. He should have known this apartment building would be nice and shiny and new. It smelled like a summer garden and the hallways were decorated in bright colours with pictures of quaint cottages hanging on the walls. It was a stark contrast from the dark, dingy apartment he lived in, where the corridors smelt of piss and an argument could be heard behind each door, dogs barking, kids wailing, people fucking. Daryl scoffed as he thought about the differences between the two and wondered, not for the first time, if he should just turn around and forget about this, about her. He forced himself forwards and in to the lift. A lady with a small dog shot him a wary glance, and shrunk into the corner of the elevator. He scoffed again and violently pushed the button for the floor he wanted, checking the piece of paper again. The woman's eyes darted about nervously, settling on him for a second before shifting away again, her tiny dog cowering in her arms. Daryl rolled his eyes. He'd never much believed the saying don't judge a book by it's cover and it seemed this woman didn't follow that either. When the elevator reached the floor he wanted, he exited the lift with a grin at the woman, who wrinkled her nose in disgust. Daryl laughed to himself. He scanned the numbers on the apartment doors before he found the one he wanted. He stood outside the door, taking deep breaths to calm his nerves, before he raised his hand and rapped his knuckles on the door. He heard a curse from behind the door and some giggling before the door was flung open. The guy who stood in the doorway must have been about his age, his dark hair mussed up on top of his head. The guy was shirtless and Daryl couldn’t help but be envious of how flawless the guys skin was, not a single scar on his bare torso. The guy raised an eyebrow at Daryl and reached down to button the top of his jeans, which Daryl hadn't even realised were undone.  
“Can I help you?” The guy's voice was dripping with sarcasm and Daryl suddenly regretted coming here.  
“I'm looking for Beth.” Daryl looked at the floor, not wanting to look this guy in the face. He had seen this guy with Beth a few weeks ago, she had looked at him with the same puppy dog look she used to give that Jimmy douche, and Daryl found himself wondering why he had even come here. She was happy.  
“She ain't here.” The guy said, casting a glance behind him, back in to the apartment, “She's at work. Dunno when she'll be back.” Daryl heard a woman giggle and the guy shot a glance at someone who was obviously standing behind the partially open door. “Want me to take a message?” This time the guy didn't even try to hide the mocking in his voice. Daryl doubted any message left with this guy would get back to Beth anyway. He hoped that this guy wasn't actually Beth's boyfriend, it was obvious he had another woman in the house and part of him hoped that Beth just had a crush on this jackass. Daryl clenched his fists at his sides and shook his head.  
“Nah, just... Just forgot I was here.” The guy shut the door in Daryl's face before he had even finished his sentence. He made his way out of the building quickly, cursing himself for being so stupid. He promised himseld that would be the last time he went out of his way to be near Beth Greene.  
X  
Daryl watched Sasha and Bob on the dance floor, spinning each other around. Sasha's dress flowed out behind her and her head was tipped back in a laugh as her new husband smiled down at her. The DJ announced that couples may now join the bride and groom on the dance floor and Daryl found himself being tugged forward by Beth's tiny, soft hand. He didn't even have the heart to reject her, hell, he didn't even think he wanted to. He loved the feel of her wrapped up in his arms, humming softly and swaying from side to side. It was the only reason he had allowed her to drag him up for so many dances after the rehearsal dinner. Tonight wouldn't be any different. He had thought that maybe he was going over board with the touches today, he just couldn't seem to keep his hands off her, even if it was lightly brushing her hand as he passed her a drink, or tucking a strand of curly hair back behind her ear. She smiled at him brightly every time he touched her, every time he kissed her on the cheek and it made him think that maybe, just maybe, she was actually enjoying him touching her as much as he did. They swayed from side to side and Daryl looked down at her. Her head was resting on his chest, turned towards the bride and groom, a soft smile on her face as she watched her newly married friends dance together. She seemed to sense his gaze on her because she titled her head up and looked him straight in the eyes. Daryl panicked. He wasn't sure where to look and he couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away from her bright blue ones. Her smile widened as she looked up at him and reached up on her tip toes and placed a tender kiss on his lips, just briefly, before returning to her previous position with her head on his chest. Daryl smiled as he rested his chin on top of her head, trying not to think about the fact that after tonight, he wouldn't have any excuse to kiss her or to touch her anymore. Once the song had finished, he made his way over to the bar and she told him that she needed to use the bathroom. He nodded his head and went to order their drinks. He thought he was doing pretty well considering it was a free bar, he wanted to drink himself in to oblivion just so he could forget that Beth wasn't really his, just like he wasn't really hers. He shook his head at that. He knew he was hers, always had been, but he didn't think she was aware of that. Daryl glanced towards the door just in time to see Zach the Asshat following Beth out of the large room. He scowled and looked around for the secretary, Andrea, and saw her sitting puffy-eyed, on a table by herself, staring longingly at the door Zach had just exited through. Daryl cursed and made his way after the douche-bag who had the audacity to fuck Beth Greene over.

Beth spun around at the noise behind her and her eyes widened when she saw Zach. She looked around the hallway, anxiously, not wanting to have to deal with him. Her shoulders sagged when she realised no one else was around, so she couldn't even get out of this by making polite conversation with another guest. Zach stepped towards her, his trademark charming smile plastered on his face and Beth groaned inwardly. She wasn't even sure what she had seen in this guy to begin with. She cursed herself for dating him just because he had the bike, had something that made her think of Daryl, and she wondered, not for the first time, what her life would have been like if she had told Daryl she loved him when she was 17, before he dropped out and moved to Atlanta. She smiled to herself at the thought of how awkward Daryl would have been and she could almost picture his panicked face. Zach stepped closer to Beth and she instinctively took a step back.  
“So how long were you fucking the redneck before you found out about me and Andrea? I mean, I always thought you were the good girl type but if I'da known that's what you were like, maybe we woulda lasted a lot longer.” Zach leered at her and Beth cringed. She realised that, for some reason, Zach thought that she had been cheating on him with Daryl. She laughed and shook her head.  
“Are you kidding me, Zach? Things with me and Daryl are... recent. I was faithful to you, dammit. Which is more than I can say about you.”  
“As if,” Zach snorted, “He isn't very discreet, I'll tell you that. Came to the fucking apartment looking for you once. Stupid redneck asshole.” Beth's eyes widened. Daryl had come to her apartment? Why hadn't he told her that? Why hadn’t Zach told her? Her mind was whirling as she tried to work out why Daryl had been there.  
“I didn't know that. Daryl's an old friend, I hadn’t seen him for eight years, Zach. We just...” Beth tried to think of the word for what her and Daryl had done, they weren't really together but their friendship had been renewed and the feelings she had once felt for him were bubbling to the surface all over again. “We reconnected.”  
“Sweet,” Zach sneered as he stepped closer to her. “Making me crazy, seeing you with that redneck. I miss you, Beth. Don't you miss me, baby? I should have known no one could ever live up to you. Damn, you're a wildcat.” Before Beth could even process what was happening, Zach had grabbed her shoulders and pressed his mouth to hers, she struggled against him, bringing her hands to his chest to push him away but he just held her tighter. This felt all wrong. It wasn't like kissing Daryl, kissing Daryl was like nothing else. Soft but rough, passionate but gentle, so many things that Zach's kiss wasn't. Beth heard a sharp intake of Beth and Zach pulled away from her, glancing over his shoulder. Daryl stood there, pain on his face, as he stared at Beth and Zach. Zach's hands remained on Beth's shoulders and she pushed them off moving towards Daryl.  
“Daryl,” she said softly.  
“Forget it.” He shook his head. “This is what you wanted right?”  
He turned to leave the two of them. He felt like his heart was shattering in his chest. He knew this was the point of him going to the wedding with Beth. To make Zach jealous. Well, it had obviously worked. She had gotten him back. As Daryl made to leave the two of them, the brief thought that this guy had cheated on Beth, hurt her, fluttered through his mind and he whirled back round towards the two of them. He surged forward, grabbing Zach by the front of his shirt.  
“You ever hurt her again,” he growled, “You'll be sorry.” Daryl tightened his grip on Zach's shirt before bringing his fist forwards, punching the brunette square in the face. Daryl released Zach's shirt, letting him drop on to the floor, clutching at his (hopefully) broken nose. Daryl glanced at Beth, her face showing raw emotion, probably 'cause you just punched her boyfriend in the face, genius, Daryl heard Merle's voice tell him. He had never wanted to get home to his brother so much in his life. Beth stepped forwards and Daryl raised both of his hands, his eyes dark and filling with tears that he didn't want Beth to see. He turned on his heel and left the two of them, ignoring Beth calling his name. He heard her small footsteps behind him and moved quicker. By the time she got back to the room, Daryl and all of his things were gone.


	12. Chapter 12

Beth sighed as she pressed her head against the cool glass of the bus window. She closed her eyes as she felt another tear slide down her face. She swiped at it in frustration as she thought about Daryl. She should have known that he wouldn't let her catch up with him, that he wouldn't stop when she called his name. She should have shouted her explanations after Daryl, told him how she loved him, not Zach, how she had tried to push Zach away and wishes now that she had just straight up kneed Zach in the balls. She wanted to tell him how slimy she had felt with Zach's hands on her, his mouth on hers and how it felt nothing like when Daryl had kissed her, touched her. Beth's stomach churned as her mind conjured up the image of Daryl's face, the hurt in his eyes, when he had seen Zach kissing her. She had thought that maybe he had really meant this to be a purely platonic favour that he was willing to do for her, that she was the only one who was feeling these intense emotions, this burning want, for the other. The look on his face told her otherwise. He had felt it too. She was sure of it. And it had taken him thinking that she felt the exact opposite for her to realise that he felt the exact way she did. Beth's head was hurting even thinking about it. She wasn't even sure if she was making sense to herself. Her heart had dropped when she had gotten back to the empty hotel room and she realised that he had gone. She hadn't even thought about the inconvenience of it, the fact that Daryl leaving Atlanta, leaving her, meant that she wouldn't be able to get home. She had wanted to go after him immediately but even Beth wasn't stupid enough to go running around Atlanta at night, trying to chase down Daryl Dixon. Which is how she ended up on the first bus home the following morning. Beth just hoped that he would hear her out when she got there, although she knew that was unlikely. He had ignored all of her calls and texts from the previous night and Beth decided that she had enough pride left not to leave him a voice-mail begging him to talk to her. So she had decided that once she got off the bus, she was going to march straight over to Daryl's apartment and make him hear her out, whether he liked it or not. She would make him see that Zach's kiss had meant nothing. Even the small touches, the mere brushes of their skin, made Beth feel more on fire, filled with more need, than the most passionate of Zach's kisses ever had. Beth idly wondered if this was how it had always been, if her and Daryl were destined to be together from the very start. She knew that he would scoff at such an idea but she couldn't remember a time when Daryl Dixon hadn't been an important part of her life. Even in the 8 years that they were apart, Beth had thought of him often, as much as she had tried not to, or pretended to herself that it wasn't really Daryl she was thinking of, more fond memories of her childhood, and part of her had always known this was not really the case. Beth blinked her eyes open, willing the tears not to fall as she glanced out the window. She hefted herself out of her seat, bags in hand, waiting for the train to stop. She was home again.  
X  
Merle shifted uncomfortably on the couch and reached for his beer. He took a large gulp before throwing his other arm over his eyes. Fuckin' Darylina. Merle hadn't gotten in til late last night, catching up with old buddies, and had just fallen asleep when his baby brother had burst in, ranting about some douche-bag and something about Beth. It had taken Merle a while to calm Daryl down enough to tell him what had happened. Merle sighed as he thought back to last night. He hadn't seen Daryl so worked up about a woman since... He didn't think he'd ever seen Daryl so worked up about a woman. Or about anything for that matter. Merle had known how Daryl felt about the youngest Greene for a long time, maybe even longer than Daryl himself had known. Merle had figured it out well before the two had stopped talking, back when they were still friends, only in their early teens, not really old enough to understand what they were feeling. Merle smirked to himself as he remembered the way that Daryl would talk about Beth, obviously out of ear shot of their father, and how he would try to hide the way his face lit up when he spoke. He wasn't sure how Daryl was going to deal with this, but he figured that if Beth was getting back with her asshole ex-boyfriend then she would probably move back to Atlanta. That'd be good for Daryl. Merle didn't want his younger brother to have to see Beth all the time, he didn't know if Daryl could handle it. Yeah, Merle figured, it'd be for the best if Beth stayed in Atlanta. Merle decided to get a few minutes shut eye, figured he was entitled to it, considering he had missed out on a lot of it last night while playing the concerned older brother. He thought he'd done pretty well of not angering Daryl further by keeping his mouth shut that no one would love him but ol' Merle. He knew it to be partly true, although Beth did love him in her own way. Just obviously not in the way that Daryl loved her. Merle closed his eyes and sighed as sleep began to seep it's way in. Then someone started banging on the door. Motherfucker. Merle groaned and cursed as he stood from the couch and swaggered towards the front door. The banging started again.  
“A'ight, I'm comin', keep ya panties on.” Merle groaned as he swung the door open, expecting one of his drinking buddies from last night, maybe even Carol. He definitely wasn't expecting Beth Greene. “Beth, uh, sorry, I thought you were... Never mind.” Merle shook his head. “You shouldn't be here, baby Greene.”  
“I...” Beth stammered, forcing herself to stand up taller, making herself look more confident than she felt. She hadn't had time to think about whether Merle would be here or how much Daryl would have told him. “I'm here to see Daryl.” Beth hoped Merle hadn't noticed her voice shaking as she said his brother's name.  
“He ain't here, Lil' Bit. 'Sides, I don't think he wants to see ya right now, after, y'know...” Merle trailed off and pinned Beth with an accusing glare. He didn't like being mean to Beth but he couldn't help but feel protective towards his baby brother.   
“It's not... It wasn't...” Beth shook her head trying to gather her thoughts and the first of the tears she had been holding back slipped, unbidden, from her eyes and down her pale face. “Zach kissed me, Merle. I didn't want him to, I tried to push him back, but he's so strong and then Daryl walked in and he thought that I wanted to kiss Zach and I didn't. I wanted to kiss Daryl, I always want to kiss Daryl. Forever. I went after him but he was gone and now he won't talk to me at all and I...” Beth's speech had been so fast, Merle had struggled to keep up but now she was hiccuping between her words. “I love him, Merle.”  
Merle let out a low whistle, not quite sure what to say. He thought back to the story that Daryl had told him last night about how he had seen this Zach follow Beth out and the older Dixon figured it fit pretty well with this story that Beth was telling him. Hell, if he was gonna make a move on a girl who was with someone else, he would definitely wait for an opportunity to be alone, and that's exactly what douchey Zach had done. Merle rubbed at his eyes before glancing back at Beth. He nodded his head.  
“I reckon he loves ya too, y'know. But I ain't never told ya that, if anyone asks.” Beth offered him a watery smile and Merle thought quickly of a way around this. “Tell ya what, Daryl's gonna be at Rattlesnake's tonight, you know, the bar?” Beth nodded. “Might even be there all night, you understand?” Beth nodded again and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss Merle on the cheek. She smiled at him widely before whispering her thanks and bounding back to her car. Merle smirked at the blonde before closing the front door.   
He heard the bathroom door open from behind him and turned to see his brother coming out of the shower, rubbing a towel over his shaggy hair.  
“Who was that?” Daryl asked, jutting his chin in the direction of the front door. Merle turned to look at the door as if he had never seen it before and scratched his chin.  
“Oh, uh, salesman.” Merle nodded, as if trying to convince himself of this lie. “You better get yaself dressed, baby brother.”  
Daryl raised a quizzical eyebrow at his brother as he made his way over to the fridge, still dressed in nothing but a towel around his waist and the one in his hand, still rubbing at the back his head. He opened the fridge and got himself a beer, taking a long sip from it, before leaning back against the kitchen counter.  
“We goin' somewhere?” He asked, when Merle didn't elaborate.  
“Yep. We're goin' to Rattlesnake's.” Merle smirked.


	13. Chapter 13

Beth sighed as she inspected herself in the mirror. She was nervous. She wasn't entirely sure that Daryl was going to talk to her tonight but she knew she had to try. Her blonde hair was down and curled lightly around her shoulders, she hadn't wanted to get too dressed up for a night at the bar so had settled for denim shorts and a yellow tank top and a pair of Chucks. She was sure it was actually pretty casual for the bar at a weekend – Beth had seen the things that other women wore out to bars and it definitely wasn't shorts and a tank top – but Beth was hoping that her and Daryl could leave the bar to talk. She nodded at her reflection and took another deep breath. She wasn't even sure wasn't really sure what exactly she was going to say to Daryl, there wasn't really an easy way of telling the best friend that you hadn't seen for 8 years, who had posed as your boyfriend, that you had loved him for, how long?, possibly forever and that the kiss that he witnessed with your ex-boyfriend hadn't meant anything. Oh and that you had broken the deal of the pretend boyfriend arrangement before the rule about not falling in love with him had even been made. Beth couldn't even make it sound sensible in her head and no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't think of a way of telling Daryl without thinking she was completely crazy. She thought about what Merle had said and wondered if Daryl really did love her too. She couldn't have been imagining the way that he had looked at her this weekend in Atlanta when he thought she wasn't paying attention. Could she? Or the way his lingering touches and kisses had felt real, more real than anything she had ever had with Zach, or with any man for that matter. Beth hoped that Daryl was as much in love with her as she was with him. She knew that Daryl didn't really know much about loving someone, or at least he hadn't before, she realised now that she didn't know what he had been doing for the last 8 years. Had he been in love with someone? Had he been dating? The thought of Daryl with another woman, even while she would have been with Zach at the time, made her insanely jealous and Beth shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts. She had text Maggie to see if she would come to the bar for moral support but she had been called in to work and had told Beth that she would try and get to the bar later. Beth hoped that Maggie got there before she confessed her feelings to Daryl. She wasn't entirely sure she could do this without her sister. Beth wanted to get to the bar without any questioning from her parents so she waited until she heard the sound of the piano in the lounge, meaning her mother would be playing while her father read, before she crept down the stairs, calling out her farewell and running out to her car before her parents could respond.   
Beth didn't think the drive to the bar in town had ever felt as long as it did tonight. When she pulled up outside the bar she could see Merle and Daryl's bikes standing in the parking lot outside. Merle stood beside his, smoking a cigarette and talking to a nerdy looking guy with a mullet who looked pretty out of place. Beth turned the engine off and took a few deeps breaths in and out. She looked over to where Merle stood and saw him squinting in the direction of her truck. He gave her a small wave and then whooped when she stepped out of the truck. Beth couldn't help but smirk. No one would every accuse Merle Dixon of being quiet. She walked over to Merle who flung an arm around her shoulder as he said goodbye to the guy he had been talking to and led Beth inside. Her palms felt sweaty and part of her wanted to turn around and go home. She scanned the bar for Daryl but couldn't see him immediately, the place was busier than she had thought it would be and she definitely felt under-dressed compared to the other women here. Merle pulled Beth over to the bar and ordered them both a drink, handing Beth hers when it arrived. She sipped at it and wrinkled her nose, not even sure what the hell Merle had ordered her. He indicated with a nod of his head to where he had seen Daryl last and Beth followed after the older Dixon. They were nearing the area where the jukebox was set up when Beth collided with Merle's back. She glanced up to see that he had stopped and heard a muttered curse from him, she was surprised she had heard it over the din in the bar. Beth pushed around Merle to see what had made him stop. And then she saw Daryl. He was leaning against the wall near the jukebox, one leg bent at the knee, foot flat on the wall. Beth took note of his sleeveless shirt and ripped jeans. Damn, he looked good. Then she realised what had made Merle curse. Standing in front of Daryl was a blonde woman, effectively sandwiching Daryl between herself and the wall. Beth had been so glad to see Daryl that she somehow hadn't even registered the woman at first. From behind, she looked like a trashy version of Beth, a skirt so short it barely covered her ass and a barely there cropped top. Her blonde hair looked ratty and Beth guessed that it was mostly fake. Daryl had a beer in one hand and the other hand was resting on the top of the woman's thigh, fingertips just under the bottom of her skirt. The woman was rubbing herself up against Daryl and he was smirking at her, obviously enjoying what she was doing. Beth blinked back the tears forming in her eyes and she barely registered Merle slipping past her and walking towards Daryl. She saw him grab his younger brother by the arm but it wasn't enough to pull Daryl away from the trashy blonde, just causing the woman to wind her arms around Daryl's neck. Beth felt sick. She was sure she was frozen to the spot, wanting to move, to look away, but unable to do anything but stare as Daryl tightened his hold on the woman. Merle leaned in and said something to Daryl, cocking his head in Beth's direction. Daryl's eyes flicked up and locked with Beth's. That was all Beth needed to unstick her from her spot and turn around and run. She pushed her way through the hoards of people until she was outside, sucking in breaths of fresh air. Beth ran to her truck and got in, starting the truck quickly. She took a few shaky breaths, willing the tears that were threatening to spill away when there was a knock on her window. Beth squeaked and turned to find a confused Daryl glaring at her. She stared at him for a few moments before she wound her window down.  
“The hell're ya doing here, Beth?” Daryl sounded angry and Beth felt a surge of rage towards him. She hadn't wanted Zach to kiss her but he had been enjoying what was going on with that woman in the bar. “Thought you'd be in Atlanta with your boyfriend.”  
Beth growled, anger towards Daryl bubbling to the surface. He was always so damn unreasonable. “I came to talk to you, wanted you to know... “ Beth trailed off. He was being rude now, like she didn't have a right to be here just the same as he did. “But it doesn't matter because you're being a dick.”  
“I'm being a dick? Ain't I the one who pretended to be your date for some damn wedding that I didn't even wanna go to? And then you didn't even have the decency to fuckin' tell me that your little college boy wanted you back and ya didn't need my services no more. Didn't need to use me no more to make it look like ya weren't just sad and pathetic and alone.”   
“I didn't... I don't...” Beth screamed in frustration, trying to make Daryl understand that Zach wasn't what she wanted.  
“Yeah, ain't got much to say to that have ya, girl?” Daryl's voice was dripping with disdain and he looked smugly at her like he had won. Beth's emotions were all over the place as she looked at this stubborn ass of a man.  
“Actually,” she shouted at him, “I came here to tell you that I don't want Zach, that I didn't want him to kiss me and I didn't even kiss him back. I came here to tell you that I love you, you jackass. “   
Daryl blinked at her and opened his mouth to speak but before he could, Beth put the car in drive and peeled away from the parking lot, leaving Daryl staring, open-mouthed, after her.


	14. Chapter 14

Beth sniffed as she pulled the covers over her head. She had heard the motorbike coming towards the farm and couldn't bring herself to listen to the exchange between it's rider and her father, again. Daryl had been to the farm every day for the last week and every day Beth had listened as her father apologised to Daryl and told him that Beth was out, or feeling ill or asleep or some other lie that she knew Daryl wasn't buying. Somehow, after shouting out her confession of love to Daryl in the parking lot of Rattlesnake's, Beth had lost the confidence that had gotten there and had spent most of the last week moping in her room, not willing to face Daryl. She had called in sick to work and Dale had been very understanding and Beth had a sneaking suspicion that he knew she wasn't really ill. Beth had even turned her off, although she wasn't sure if it was to stop herself texting Daryl or because she was scared if it was turned on that there wouldn't be a single message from him. She knew she was being ridiculous. She knew she was being cowardly. Part of her felt bad that she was avoiding Daryl so avidly but she couldn't take back the fact that she had told him that she loved him. She had seen the way he had enjoyed the woman in the bar rubbing herself up against in the bar and Beth felt so stupid for the way she had blurted out her feelings to Daryl. She should have just driven straight home when she had seen him standing at her car window, instead of rolling it down to hear what he had to say. She wasn't sure if she couldn't face that apologetic look on his face that she knew would be there now. If Daryl thought that Beth was using him at the wedding then he knew now that he was wrong at least. Well, wrong about why she was using him. She knew that her little outburst will have most likely ruined their friendship and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face him. She peeked over the top of her blankets as she heard Daryl mumble something to her father before the motorbike started again and the sound grew farther away. There was a light knock on her door and it swung pen before Beth had even had a chance to invite whoever was on the other side in.  
Beth looked towards the door and wiped at her eyes. Annette shut the door behind her and offered her daughter a small smile before walking over and sitting on the bed. She rested her hand on Beth's leg on top of the covers and Beth smiled slightly at her mother.  
“He was here again.” Annette knew that she didn't need to tell her daughter who she was talking about.  
“I know. I heard him.” Beth's voice was quiet and croaky from a week of crying over her lost love, lost friendship. “What did he say?”  
“Same as he does every time, that he needs to talk to you. He asked your father if he would let you know he'd been. Again.” Annette sighed and reached for Beth's hand. “You can't avoid him forever, Bethy. What that boy feels for you isn't just friendship. You should see him, he looks like he hasn't slept for months. I've always known that you and Daryl had something special. Even your father sees it and, Lord knows, he's never been the most observant of men. Just go to him. Talk. Find out how he feels. You two have been friends forever. If, for some reason, he doesn't feel the same as you do then at least you can still be friends. The friendship that you two share isn't something that can just be lost. It's something that will last forever. Although, I don't see that you need to worry about him not feeling the same way.”  
Beth looked at her mother, unsure of what to say. Whenever her mother spoke, Beth felt like she was privy to some wisdom that was impossible to argue with. She decided that her mother was right though, she couldn't avoid Daryl forever. And they had been friends as long as she could remember, she had missed him in the 8 years they'd spent apart and she wasn't sure if she could handle never being near Daryl ever again. Beth nodded slowly at her mother and Annette smiled and patted her daughter's leg. She huffed out a breath as she eased herself off the bed.  
“Good. Now, I need you to get in the shower, get dressed and go to the store. You've spent all week in this room and it's high time you left it. There's a list on the kitchen counter. Now, come on, Bethy, get going.” And with that Annette was leaving the room.  
Beth sighed and rolled over, reaching for her phone on the night stand and switching it on again. Enough was enough. Beth waited for her phone to switch on before looking at the text messages she had received. There were a couple from Maggie, 2 from Tara, 4 from Sasha, 1 from Glenn and 11 from Daryl.  
Daryl's messages all said the same thing – that they needed to talk. After she had read them all, Beth placed her phone on the night stand and headed for the shower. Just as she shut the bathroom door with a click, her phone vibrated with another message, unbeknownst to Beth. It was from Daryl.  
Beth, please. We need to talk. Soon. Daryl x  
X  
Beth pulled up in front of the store and glanced back at the list her mother had given her. She was sure Annette had put some things on here for the sake of getting Beth out of the house. Why did they need glue?! Beth knew that her mother had a whole drawer full of crafty things with at least 4 sticks of glue in it. But Beth was grateful to her mother for giving her something to do other than sit and mope around the farm all day. Beth wanted to go and talk to Dale too and apologise for her absence lately but she wanted to wait until she knew Daryl wouldn't be there. Beth grabbed a basket from the front of the store and made her way towards the first aisle. Before she could get there she collided with a hard body and grunted at the force with which she hit it. She looked up to see Merle Dixon smirking at her.  
“Ah, Lil Bit, thought you'd vanished offa the face o' the earth. Baby brother's been looking for ya all over.” Beth winced at Merle's words, she felt guilty knowing that Daryl had been trying hard to get her to talk to him all week.  
“Yeah, I was, uh, in hiding.” She smiled sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders. Merle chuckled at her and shook his head. He reached forward to grab the empty basket out of Beth's hand and slung his other arm around her shoulder. Merle turned her around and led her out of the store, dumping the basket back in the pile as they went. He led her over to a bench outside the store and sat down, pulling on Beth's arm to make her do the same. Beth settled on the bench next to Merle and they sat in there in silence for a long time, watching people come and go. Beth knew that Merle was obviously trying to work out what he wanted to say to her, they seemed to do that a lot, these Dixons, unable to voice their thoughts or feelings without thinking abut the exact way to say without sounding like a girl about it. Merle sighed and then spoke.   
“That girl at the bar-” Merle began before Beth interrupted him with a noise, a strangled sound, that erupted out of her mouth before she even realised.  
“Don't.” Beth looked at the ground in front of her, twisting her hands in her lap. Merle huffed loudly before continuing.  
“That girl at the bar. You notice she kinda looked like you?” Beth tilted her head and looked at Merle, confused. “They always look like you. Every single woman he's ever...” Beth made another noise so Merle cleared his throat. “Well, y'know. Point is, Little Greene, it's always been you for Daryl. It was bad enough when he had to leave you, but if he didn't he woulda killed our old man. It's worse this time, knowin' how you feel about him but you refusin' to talk t' him. It's killing him. You need to go see 'im, Beth.” Beth was looking a Merle properly now, she could see the sincerity in his eyes, the concern for his brother. She nodded her head, to show Merle that she knew what he was telling her. He knew how Daryl felt better than anyone. Next to Beth, Merle was the only person who knew everything there was to know about Daryl. Merle offered Beth a single nod in return before standing up and returning to the store. Beth pulled her phone from her pocket and re-read the messages Daryl had sent her. Beth looked at the time on her phone and realised that her and Merle had been sitting outside for longer than she realised. Daryl would be ff work by now. Beth decided her mother's grocery list could wait. She would go and see Dale and then she was gonna suck it up and go talk to Daryl Dixon.  
X  
Beth stood outside Daryl's apartment working up the courage to knock on the door. She had been standing here for 5 minutes already. She raised her hand and knocked on the door lightly. She heard nothing inside so she knocked again, louder this time. The sound of a door opening inside followed by a bang and a string of cursing told her that Daryl was home. The front door swung open and she was greeted by a very annoyed, very scary looking, shirtless Daryl. Beth swallowed thickly and let out a nervous giggle, covering her mouth as if she could keep the sound in. Daryl quirked an eyebrow at her before stepping back, letting her walk in to his apartment. She shut the door and pressed her back up against it, wanting to be as close to the exit as possible in case this all went completely wrong. She opened her mouth to speak but Daryl spoke up before she could get a word out.  
“Beth, I, uh... Shit.” Daryl rubbed the back of his neck, nervously. “Y'know I ain't good at this sorta shit. It's just that I...” Daryl broke off again with an annoyed growl and before Beth could even process what was happening, his lips were on hers, his hands cupping her face. Beth froze for a moment, taken by surprise, before she melted in to him. This kiss was more furious, more passionate than the first one they had shared at the wedding, tongues wildly seeking each other. Beth wrapped her arms around Daryl's neck and tugged gently at the hair at his nape causing him to moan in to her mouth. Daryl's lips moved from her mouth along her jaw and down to her neck. Beth reached her hands back around to his chest, running her hands across his torso. She moved forwards, forcing him to walk backwards towards his room and she kicked the door shut behind them.  
Beth pulled away from Daryl just long enough to pull her shirt up over her head. She leaned back to kiss him again but Daryl held her back, eyes roaming her topless form, blue and black bleeding together. Daryl growled again and this time she knew it wasn't in anger.  
“God, Beth. You're so damn beautiful. I-” He paused then, his eyes flicking up to hers. “I love you.”  
And there it was. Everything Beth had hoped for. He loved her too. Beth launched herself forwards, lips latching on to Daryl's as she kissed him everywhere she could. Daryl's arms wrapped around her before they slid down her body, cupping the back of her thighs and lifting her up. Daryl turned them both and lay Beth on the bed, him hovering over her. Daryl kissed his way down her body, leaving open mouthed kisses on her neck and chest, nipping and sucking at her skin before reaching her breasts. Her nipples already hard, Daryl took one in his mouth, licking and nipping gently while he rubbed the other between his finger and thumb. Beth arched her back and dug her fingers in to his scalp, a small moan escaping her lips. Daryl moved his hand lower, not slowing his ministrations on her breast with his mouth. He hooked his fingers in to the waistband of her shorts and cupped her sex over the top of her panties. He groaned around her nipple when he felt how wet, how aroused she was already. He moved his hand back up, fingers slowly edging their way under her panties, Beth bucked her hips up eagerly, encouraging him to move his hand lower. He inched his fingertips down and-  
“Daryl! You here?” The front door slammed loudly as Merle shouted through the apartment. Daryl pulled his hand out of her underwear and Beth whined as he sat up. He grabbed the nearest thing to him – a blanket- and threw it over Beth's exposed breasts just as the door to his room flew open.  
“I bumped in to-” Merle cut himself off as he noticed Beth on the bed and took in the sight before him, both red faced and breathing heavily. He stared at his brother with a shit-eating grin. “Well, looky here. Looks like Ole' Merle here is interrupting. Next time put a sock on the door.” He laughed loudly at himself before leaving the room. Daryl huffed out a n annoyed breath and reached for Beth's shirt. She thanked him and pulled it over her head. She glanced back to Daryl who was looking at her with a small smirk on his face  
“So,” he drawled, “guess we should have this talk now.”


	15. Chapter 16

Daryl smiles to himself as he slowly comes to, the sunlight streaming through the window causing him to stir from his sleep. His arm is slung around the form next to him and he wiggles his fingers so that they brush against her soft skin. Beth sighs and presses herself back against him and he buries his nose in her hair. He almost can't believe this is real, that she's here with him. He thinks back on his friendship with Beth and knows for sure that he has always loved her, maybe not as completely as he does right now, but the feeling has always been there. Daryl feels her shift in his arms as she turned towards him, a sleepy smile on her face.

“Mornin', Greene.” He whispered, leaning forward to kiss her softly on the lips. Her smile grew wider and she mumbled her good morning back to him. Her eyes fluttered open and Daryl was amazed that there was no regret in them. He realised then that what he and Beth had was real. She pressed her lips to his and he felt his growing arousal and wondered if it would always be like this now, just the slightest touch, the slightest kiss from Beth Greene and his body became alive with want. He deepened the kiss and pulled her closer to him, felt her still when she felt his hard length pressed against her before grinding herself against him causing him to groan.

“Ready to go again, Dixon?” She teased, a playful smile on her lips.

Daryl growled and rolled them so that he was hovering over her, grinning. (When the hell did he start grinning?)

“Damn straight.” He told her as he lowered his mouth to hers.

* * *

 

After spending almost the entire morning making love to each other, Beth and Daryl finally decided at midday to have something to eat. Beth padded barefoot in to the kitchen, wearing nothing but one of Daryl's shirts. She reached for the fridge then laughed at the note that was pinned to the door of it.

 

_Lovebirds,_

_Tried knocking, you guys need to keep it down a bit. I'll be at the diner when you surface._

_Merle._

* * *

Another hour later, (Daryl couldn't help it that seeing Beth in his shirt did things to him so it took them much longer to get dressed than it should have. It also involved more undressing than it should have too.) they made their way to the diner, hand in hand.

“So, what does this mean now? Are we, like a thang?” Beth looked up shyly at Daryl and he cursed himself for the uncertainty in her eyes. He had thought that telling her that he loved her would be enough to quell her anxieties but he was wrong. He knew that he loved her and that she loved him, he had thought that that would be all that needed to be said.

“You askin' me to go steady, Hotshot? He smirked and she lightly smacked his arm as she rolled her eyes at him. He stopped walking, tugging her hand so she turned to face him. He draped his forearms over her shoulders and lowered his face to hers, looking her in the eyes. “I'd say we are definitely a _thang_ , Greene. Been waitin' all my damn life for us to be a _thang_ so I ain't gonna let nothin' stop us now.”

She smiled up at him, the most radiant smile he had ever seen, and kissed him on the lips.

“Huh,” She smiled, “Guess we _are_ goin' steady then.”

* * *

 

Beth was stunned by the lack of surprise that comes from telling her family about her and Daryl's relationship. Her father had smiled when her mother had pointed in his face yelling “I told you so!” and Daryl had laughed loudly at the look on her father's face. Glenn (Beth thought he was supposed to be smart) had told them that he had thought that they were already dating before they went to the wedding and Maggie had rolled her eyes at him and reminded him of the conversation they'd had where she had _told_ him that the two weren't a couple but that she thought it would only be a matter of time until they were. She'd put Shawn on loud speaker when she called to tell him, who had had the same reaction as Glenn, causing his sister's to complain that he never paid enough attention. The guys at the garage groaned when he and Beth kissed passionately before she went off to the office, he rounded on them with a fire in his eyes before they had hastily explained that they each now owed Dale twenty bucks. Daryl was surprised that the old man had noticed something between he and Beth but Abe had explained that Dale had known they would end up together since they were kids.

Daryl couldn't help but wonder if he had done something when they were kids if he and Beth could have had this sooner. He came to the conclusion that they needed to have those experiences then to be who they were today (although, part of him knew that he'd always loved who Beth was so it didn't make much difference to him either way.) and that even if it took him this long, he was just glad that he got his girl in the end.

* * *

_18 months later_

 

“Merle! MERLE! IT'S HERE!”

“God dammit, woman, what you yellin' 'bout?”

“It's here!” Carol thrusts the manilla envelope at Merle and he can already see the crinkles in it here she has been gripping it. He knows what it is and smiles as he rips it open. He pulls the card out of the envelope and his grin widens as he reads the words.

_Mr &Mrs Hershel Greene_

_request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter_

_Bethany Greene_

_to_

_Daryl Dixon_

Merle stops reading and looks up at Carol, who is grinning almost as wide as he is.

“Well, baby, we gon' go buy you a hat.”

 

The End

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's short but it just felt right. Thanks to everyone who has read this and hopefully you'll go read my other stuff (shameless self promotion, I'm sorry!) I'm also gonna be starting (another) Bethyl AU soon so watch this space!


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